Beauty

It has been said, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder;” however, there is much more to beauty than mere individual opinion. There exists an objective, intrinsic beauty in all creations that can be admired by every rational being if he or she is in the right moral state to view such beauty.  Creation, as it is a God-given power, is, in itself, the greatest representative of beauty. Beauty is in the very nature of every good thing that proves equally satisfactory towards God and every morally righteous individual in the universe.
Beauty has been a matter of philosophical debate for hundreds of years.  Beauty, as defined by Apple’s Dictionary 1.0.2, is “ a combination of qualities, such as shape, color, or form, that pleases the aesthetic senses, especially the sight.”  Mathematics explains that beauty is about proportion and symmetry. However, “perfect” proportion or symmetry does not adequately define “beauty.”  Defining beauty is much more complex.
Beauty is of God.  It is present in everything that has been created, that is created, and that will ever be created by the upright and God.  Beauty is an essence that belongs to all objects of which the morally righteous and God deem as beautiful. Plato believed that beauty was one of the “Forms”.  These “Platonic Forms” are “abstract entities that exist independently of the sensible world” (Kemerling).  Beauty is something that exists in all beautiful things.  It exists independently of whether or not we are capable of acknowledging it. Therefore, we are able of failing to recognize beauty.  However, God acknowledges all beauty for He was the creator of beauty.
In humans, beauty is not about physical attractiveness, but rather the condition of the soul. Everything good is equally beautiful. Sin makes us ugly; however, Jesus Christ died for our sins so that we may become beautiful in the eyes of God.  Beauty can be achieved if only we focus on goodness and seek forgiveness when we stray from the path of righteousness.  Beauty is about maintaining a virtuous soul and thus repenting when mistakes are made.
The true meaning of beauty goes much deeper than its conventional definition. Beauty is about upholding moral values and appreciating that which is truly good.  True beauty entails supreme integrity and virtuosity.  Beauty is not evil, it does not provoke hatred, and it does not cause harm.  Conversely, it exists for the pure benefit of humanity and for the universe.