Beautiful
Art begins with noticing. Perhaps the colors of the leaves catch your eye, as they vary their glow from tree to tree, their intensity changing with the weather, and with the light. Maybe you catch the scent of the outdoor air when your children come indoors, or notice the frosty crisp smell of hunting season. The wrinkles in a face you hold dear, the sound of a beloved voice, the roughness of firewood, the bracing cold of a fall breeze, all of these things and many more create a vision of the beautiful, the sense of loveliness, a recognition of the things created that God called good. A true student studies this vision, pursues it, and eliminates anything that would detract from its beauty.
I admit that at first I did not see any connection between Art and the passage being preached this coming Sunday. But truly, both art and II Timothy 2:22-26 are about seeing a vision of the Good, a vision of the Good news that can re-shape our perspective of how the Christian sees himself, and of how he views those who do not know the Gospel.
Paul not only gives Timothy a vision for his own life, through righteousness, faith, love and peace, but also a vision for life in community with the saints. When these beautiful traits characterize the palette of a healthy believer, the power of God works through them to lead others to the truth. Could there be a more beautiful expression of the Good News?