We live with ourselves 24 hours a day. It is normal to believe that our flaws are striking. Yet Jesus is dazzled by our beauty, and with a little self-confidence, we can also light up the atmosphere with our smile.
The photo for this article was taken during the Passion374 Quebec solos trip to Paris, in May 2023. It shows a nice garden that our group found near our hotel. All the travelers in the group marveled at the beauty of this space and happily took photos and selfies in this garden, admiring the beauty of nature in the middle of the city. We enjoyed our time in the garden and then continued on our way.
A few days later, when I was alone one afternoon, I decided to buy myself a light meal and sit in this park to enjoy my lunch. But after sitting for a few minutes, I was surprised to see a large number of weeds and thistles. They were suddenly the only thing I could see in that same garden that everyone praised and loved to photograph. It was an imperfect garden, much like you and me. It was there that I heard the gentle voice of the Holy Spirit whisper to me: “And despite these imperfections, it is still very beautiful… just like you.”
Just like us, with all our flaws, we always remain beautiful to our Creator, but surprisingly, we are also so to others around us. Maybe one of our travelers noticed the thistles among the flowers. Maybe they even got too close and hurt themself slightly with a thorn. But no one mentioned the weeds, and those blemishes certainly didn’t change the joyful atmosphere of that first visit. I know that if you look for them, these imperfections are easy to see, but they don’t take away from the beauty of this space.
The same is true for us, when we are open and honest, allowing people around us to enjoy their time with us. We are imperfect and beautiful. It is only when we close ourselves off or hide where we prevent others from enjoying the beauty that God has created. Yes, if people get too close, they might be hurt by our imperfections, behaviors, reactions, or attitudes, just like those thorns in the park. But that’s no reason to stay away. “You are the light of the world, like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” (Matthew 5:14-16 NLT).
It also does not mean that we should not long for a better state. As with all things in this world, this garden will never be perfect, and neither will we. But we can work on ourselves. That led me to another observation about this garden: the thistles were tightly entwined with the flowers. Anyone who wanted to pull these weeds would be forced to rip the flowers and make a huge mess. The same goes for our imperfections and failures. We can’t just rip them out. We need the help of our Creator to deal with the root of our problems. Then slowly, and carefully, God will carve and adjust our hearts and make us better. He will never sacrifice our beauty in His work of making us perfect.
“You are beautiful, my darling, beautiful beyond words”… begins the Song of Songs, chapter 4. There follows a long description of everything the groom admires in his sweetheart. And this is a picture of Christ looking at His bride, the Church. In this song, all the lover admires is his physical assets. He does not admire her for her works, but quite simply for what she is. Christ does not love us just for what we do for Him. He is madly in love with us, and He admires our beauty. Even though we are not perfect, we can be a sweet-smelling perfume to Him. “Awake, north wind! Rise up, south wind! Blow on my garden and spread its fragrance all around. Come into your garden, my love; taste its finest fruits” (Song of Songs 4:16 NLT).