B is for Beautiful

God is beautiful. How can He not be? He is perfect in all ways. I cannot imagine what it will be like to someday behold Him, although the thought puts both joy and fear in me. I know that some would disagree with me here. What about evil? What about disease and starvation and poverty and death? Are these not a reflection of our creator, if indeed we are created? And I could argue about the birth of a child, the sunset, the blooming of a rose, a cool, starry evening. But it is not a competition of which is greater. I don't understand all of creation, but I know that I am not at its center. He is beautiful in my eyes because I see Him. Looking at anything else is just a distraction.

I sometimes wonder what kind of parents these people are, who fault God for the calamities that befall man. Are they the kind of parents who only give their children good, even if they do not deserve it? Do they pat the child on the back after he has just taken a knife and carved their name in the walls of the house or the dining table and say, "Look how cute? I wonder what he could do if we gave him a chainsaw?" Or do they come home and ask their child how to spend their paycheck? Surely, if there is a God, He has the right to make creation as He sees fit. And it does not take away from His beauty any more than my deciding how to spend my paycheck takes away from my love for my children.

Kids have such a funny concept of money. I remember when my oldest son was much younger. We drove by a house and he thought we should buy it. Trying to deter him, I said that house must cost $100,000! He said, no problem, had $100, if I had the $1,000. I wish it worked that way, I'd own more real estate. But I explained to him it would take 100-thousand dollar bills, and that was a lot. We drove on, him understanding a bit more about finances, me amused at his understanding.

God is beautiful. Perfect in ways I cannot understand. He does things I sometimes wish were done in other ways. But He is infinite in knowledge, I am finite. But if you have a house you want to sell for about $100,000.00, I have $100...and I am sure I can get a loan for the $1,000. Do we have a deal?