Seeing the Beauty

Husband got an orchid as a gift for Boss's Day, and I thought I'd take some photos of the blooms the other day. The orchid is nodding over our fruit basket on the counter; I found myself going into contortions to get good angles on the blooms while not moving the plant.

As I viewed the photos I'd taken with the macro setting, I noticed something really odd. The very first things I saw in the photo were the two flaws in the snow white bloom. I didn't notice the exquisite design in the middle of the orchid, or the lovely colors, or the sweep of the curves of the petals. Instead, my attention zoomed in on the flaws.

What does that say about me?
The more I thought about it, the more I realized the truth in my reflection. When we review our looks or our performance in a situation, we tend to ignore the beauty of what God has done in us, and instead go straight to the flaws in who we are or what we have done. And we assume that everyone else around us is paying close attention to the flaws in us, as well. Occasionally, they are.

How sad that we focus our attention on the flaws.

We need to be more appreciative of what is beautiful. We need to be more gentle in our consideration of the flaws that will inevitably pop up in this world. It is the people who do that for those around them--the ones who look for the beauty in everything--who are the most encouraging.