Behold!
BEHOLD!
That’s not a word I use every day. I don’t enter my house proclaiming, “Behold! I have arrived, so come and greet me, oh beloved family!” I never say, “Behold! Dinner is served. Come and dine!” Or, “Behold! Come forth and examine that which the puppy hath destroyed today!” Behold is an old-fashioned word, but I like it.
The chorus of one of my current favorite worship songs proclaims, “Behold what love can do!” One of my favorite Christmas traditions includes listening to a record called “Behold the Lamb of God.” Maybe behold is an old-fashioned word worth reviving.
It means, “Be sure to see” or “ Don’t miss this!” Thousands of messages, images, and flickering pixels await my attention every second. How do I discern which I should behold and that which is a mere distraction? What do I want to be sure to see? What do I not want to miss?
I don’t want to miss the beauty of this world, so I’m learning to look up and around. Here are a few things I’ve seen lately that are worth beholding:
Seeing Zachary shine as a “staff-in-training” at our camp in Minnesota.
Watching an eagle fly low across a lake. It was graceful and powerful.
Looking into the eyes of person after person as they shared their grief story with me at a music festival.
Holding Michelle’s hand as we drove through four states on a twelve-hour drive.
Catching up with treasured friends.
Savoring many amazing cups of coffee.
Spending time with a friend in the hospital.
Conversations with Marin.
Avocado toast.
The barista's infectious smile and genuine welcome at my favorite coffee shop.
Working with my friend Jon.
There’s plenty more.
It’s so easy to be consumed by everything broken in this world. The hatred, divisiveness, violence, abuse, and suffering eat away at my soul. I can’t pretend these things don’t exist. I can’t hide them under a glossy sheen. But I also can’t let myself believe that brokenness is all there is. There is grace, beauty, creativity, color, diversity, and much more to behold! I don’t want to miss it. So I will keep looking up and around. I will find beauty even in the ordinary. I will slow down and be still.
Behold!