A Ministry Of Beauty

Psalm 19:1-6

The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. (Psalm 19:1)

IN THE EARLY 1800S, the French novelist Stendhal visited Florence, Italy, where the Italian Renaissance had flourished and many of the world’s greatest works of art were produced. He was overwhelmed by the magnificence of his surroundings, especially when he visited the Basilica of Santa Croce and saw Giotto’s frescoes at the tombs of Michelangelo and Galileo. He became dizzy, felt that life was draining from him, feared that he would fall, and later wrote about the sublime beauty of celestial sensations. He was overcome with awe.

This physical response to beauty was later named after him: Stendhal syndrome, a condition well-known in Florence and at other sites of transcendent grandeur. Tourists have even been treated at local hospitals and psychiatric wards for the response. The human mind and body can only absorb so much at one time; an overload of glory short-circuits our senses.

God is the author of truth, beauty, and love—a trinity of divine gifts that come from his nature. For centuries, Christians have emphasized ministries of truth and love, focusing on doctrine and works of charity. Far fewer have emphasized a ministry of beauty. In spite of the fact that many nonreligious people say they come closer to believing in God after experiencing an awe-inspiring view than at any other time, and in spite of the many glimpses of transcendent beauty and glory we are given in Scripture, many believers today assume that truth and love are essential to God’s nature while beauty is an unnecessary luxury. We minimize its power.

In an age when hearts are hardened to claims of truth and jaded to expressions of love, beauty may be one of the most effective ways to reflect the nature of God in this world. It can draw people toward the glory of God before they even realize who he is. Seek beauty wherever you can, preserve it whenever you can, and create it however you can. Because you were made in the image of a Creator, your creativity is a compelling statement of who he is.

{Father, you are the creator of a magnificent universe that is gorgeous from any perspective. Fill me with your creativity. Let me reflect your beauty in the things I do. Persuade hearts with the power of your artistry. Amen.