Re: Beauty vs. Value

It’s been said, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” and many have believed it. At a recent session of, “The Truth Project,” (a weekly group organized by Jamie Silveus based on the DVD “tour” series from Focus on the Family) we were presented with many views, scriptures, and lifestyle references suggesting the contrary, that beauty is not in the eye of the beholder. I tended to agree, as it’s easy to note the standards around us of good and evil, of things wholesome and things that are deceptive, of truth and lies, but I also was a bit uneasy. What then of the human capacity to love? What of our right to express preference and declare worthiness? We know good things as “beautiful,” and it really does make sense that beauty rests in the sight of God and depends His standard, but that I still know many who would disagree. I’m not trying to prove anything here, but I would like to make a suggestion, as, at first glance, most of us would agree that beauty is in the eye of the onlooker and would impulsively argue against the notion that it’s not.

As so often in our American culture (though perhaps this extends beyond just America) we like to use different words interchangeably. We have several implications behind the word, “love” and I think beauty itself has become synonymous with “value,” and unjustly so. I think beauty is not in the eye of the beholder, but value is. If you’re not following, perhaps a little illustration would help, bear with me…

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A man carried an old watch in his pocket, he’d purchased it several years earlier for the sum total of $20.00, though lately he’d been given a new watch, making this one irrelevant to his life. He considered the watch beautiful, but just unnecessary to life anymore. He decided he’d take the watch into a pawn shop and see if he might gain some of his money back, deciding beforehand that $5.00 would be an acceptable parting total. When he showed the man behind the counter his item, the man responded quickly, “Two dollars.” Now as bartering goes in the art of pawning, the man new his part of the dance. “Eight dollars,” he said. This routine was repeated until finally the broker offered the man his intended five dollars. Pocketing the money, the man left the pawn shop content.

Now the pawn broker was a somewhat understanding man, but regarding the smaller items of his business he often neglected proper organizational skills. He saw beauty in the watch, knowing partially the time and effort put into making it. But in his forgetfulness he tossed the watch purchased for $5.00 behind his glass case and went back to his usual work. As days passed, his business went well and the watch was far from his mind. Then one day a customer came in, looking at best, unintentional. The customer poked around here and there, eyeing items on the wall and even inquiring once or twice. Finally he selected a small item and came to the counter to make his purchase. As the exchange was taking place, the customer looked down nonchalantly and noticed a beautiful pocket watch sitting on the shelf. His demeanor changed immediately and he set his previously intended item to the side, speaking directly to the owner, “I’ll give you two-hundred dollars for that watch.” The shop owner, somewhat bewildered, agreed, knowing the profit he was about to make in the transaction, and the customer walked out of the store with the watch.

The question of the watch's beauty has been answered, each person saw beauty in the watch and could not disregard its style or allurement. However, perhaps a more revealing question would be: what is the watch worth?
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When it comes to beauty, we have a standard. It is goodness and truth as the life of Christ depict and uphold. Peter declares that beauty in the eyes of God has nothing to do with the outside, but pertains to the nature of the inward spirit of a person (1 Peter 3). What of value though? When it comes to value, honestly it seems to me that it’s entirely relative. The question becomes, “Well, what are you willing to pay?” I think we’ve intermixed these two concepts and we really shouldn’t. Right and wrong are not relative, beauty is not either, but value truly is.

(Tangent) The value of life has been declared by the highest authority. When the question is posed to you regarding the worth of your neighbor, of your coworker, of your boss, of your spouse, or any other person you’ve ever come in contact with you must keep in mind the ultimate price Jesus Christ was willing to pay for that life as well as yours- it was His own. He gave up His life for the freedom and healing and salvation of the world. Never forget that the value of human life is not relative, it is set. The question in that case, “What are you willing to pay,” but “What has been paid,” and the answer is that your life itself is worth the very death of God, as is your neighbor and fellow student. What would happen if we suddenly lived like that were true?

(Back on topic) Honestly, in thinking through this (which is my preferred way of understanding something troubling me) and writing it down (which tends to be where I am most able to continue learning) my mind has been eased a bit. I’m glad there’s a standard for beauty, for goodness, righteousness, and truth. That these things aren’t relative and open for argument and debate. I’m also glad for the relativity of value, that we are given the chance to pay for what we know holds worth in our lives. That we all have the same amount of time at any given moment (that is, right now) and that in spending it with each other we can truly show value. That in communicating we can reveal love and worth, respect and depth of relationship. I’m glad we have this ability, that we can know how to love one another and how to see that we are loved, what in your live would you give for? What would you suffer for? What would you wait for?

I’m not done processing this… in fact, I’m rarely finished thinking through anything. I’d love to hear your thoughts? Does this make sense? Do you disagree? Do you understand something for the first time? What do you think about beauty or value?


N.B.: "Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the Church..." that is (to me) pray, suffer, bleed, wait, cherish, protect, call, lead, encourage, praise, uplift, help, and rejoice. What is she worth to you?