A Thing of Beauty

Jesus said to the people, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't be stumbling through the darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life." -- John 8:12

Our office has become beautiful. In just a weeks' time a woman named Joanne has turned a neutral, fairly boring canvas into a stunning and inviting workspace. It has been fun to watch the process of transformation and join in with her as her ideas and dreams came to fruition.

Today, as things were winding down she said, "Okay Jessica, let's look at your space." I'll admit, I was dying to have her give some direction and thought to the placement of pieces she had suggested that I add in and around my new office. One of the paintings that was originally slated to be in our open area needed a home and she asked if I would like to have it. I was thrilled and as we hung it, she pointed out that the artist had inscribed the reference to the verse above near his signature. Joanne told me that when she discovered this reference, she immediately looked it up and it became her "theme" verse for the project. I thought it very appropriate.

One, the end purpose of the work we do here is that students would understand that Jesus is indeed the light of the world and that they might have life. Life is a beautiful thing. Two, Joanne loves beauty. It drives her. I have been so encouraged and refreshed as my associates and I have had the privilege of working alongside her this week. Not only did she care about the project, she cared about our stories. Both were things of beauty to her.

There is something about beauty that moves me. Maybe you feel the same. As I thought about it in light of this project and my conversations with Joanne, I realized why. The world can be an astoundingly ugly place at times. In the midst of the struggles of life, relationships, and circumstances it is not difficult to despair in the darkness. But light... What does light do? It dispels darkness and allows us to see what is real about life.

To think that Jesus says that HE is the light of the world is a tremendous claim. In fact, if you go on to read beyond that one verse in John 8, you'll see that the Pharisees were quite offended by this. Jesus cared deeply that people would not continue stumbling in the darkness. He wanted them to see the light so they could experience life.

How I long to experience life on Jesus' terms, but I must choose to walk in the light. Often I avoid the life that He so freely offers because I desire to do it my way. What's sad about this is that I miss what is beautiful... Him. He is the light of the world. He lived a sinless life, died a grievous death and rose victoriously that we would experience life and cease stumbling in the darkness. Now that is a thing of beauty.