John Keats wrote: “A thing of beauty is a joy forever. It’s loveliness increases; it will never
Pass into nothingness.” Those are very poetic words, but are they true?

Watching a movie about Mr. Keats inspired these thoughts in me: Unobserved beauty is never described as beautiful. Beauty requires an observer.

“A thing of beauty” is only a joy when it’s seen (or remembered) and enjoyed. Beauty analyzed and dissected doesn’t increase. It disappears into data.

The most beauty I’ve ever observed is in experiencing the presence of the living, resurrected Jesus Christ. Experiencing Him throughout the day has brought ongoing, overflowing joy into my life for more than 50 years. I’m looking forward to that joy being forever and “never passing into nothingness.”

That joy doesn’t originate from human effort or from human belief. It’s a gift from God that is freely received by daily surrendering the living, ever-present Jesus. A text in the Bible calls it “joy unspeakable and full of glory.”

If we never let the Holy Spirit change a strong belief or opinion that we hold (or a feelings-based behavior that we’re doing), then we’re probably following our own desires and emotions rather than the living, resurrected Jesus.

If Christ-followers
Would spend less time
Proudly texting
And more time
Humbly letting the text
Of the Bible
Deeply touch our heart
As leaven,
The world would be
A better place.