Beauty in the Midst

I don't live in a very beautiful town. There are pockets of loveliness and a growing number of people expressing the desire for a more beautiful city and working towards that goal, but due to the transient nature of where I live there doesn't seem to be much of a sense of ownership and pride in the maintenance of our bit of earth here. There is an abundance of litter, unkempt yards, abandoned lots and dilapidated properties. Overall, the beauty of God's creations have been overrun by man's relative neglect.

Several weeks ago I went for a run along a fairly busy, main road of town. As I ran, I saw mile after mile of debris, rusted cars, and crumbling fences. Trash cluttered the sidewalk and surrounding areas. I passed a little stream choked with litter where a small family of frogs was trying to eke out their earthly existence. I was increasingly discouraged, not only by the lack of overall concern for beauty, but more so for what it represented about our society in general - an acceptance for filth and disarray in our lives.

As I pounded along the pavement, I was suddenly and quite literally stopped in my tracks. In the midst of the filth was one property, one vestige of hope. It was a modest home, not unique in scale or grandeur, but it surpassed its surroundings soundly in beauty. The bushes were all trimmed neatly, the home was in pristine repair, flowers carefully plotted and planted, immaculate in every regard. Surrounding this lovely oasis was a low iron fence, carefully plotted and designed to secure and complement the property. Within the careful protection of this fence was a place of beauty, order and peace.

As I stood, stunned by the contrast this little piece of land presented, I was instantly filled with hope. Hope that in the midst of an increasingly evil world, beauty could still be preserved. Hope that goodness springs possible through considerable effort - careful tending, pruning, weeding and planting. Hope that with the creation of a carefully crafted, graceful fence, refinement can remain in full view while still protected from the filth surrounding it on every side. Hope that beauty can not only be found, but created, cultivated, captured and shared. Hope that there is yet hope for us all.