Many of us are easily smitten by things that are perceived as externally beautiful. We can end up like this girl, carefully carrying fragile eggs that are rotten inside. We are enticed by the exterior and pray the interior can live up to the standard. When it doesn't, we realize we have a beautiful rotten egg. Be more anxious to take someone who loves than someone lovely, someone who expresses beauty than someone who is solely beautiful. True beauty cannot be scanned with eyes; it must be sensed with the heart.
Sensing beauty,
Byron Jamal
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This is inspiring, insightful, and beautifully written to say the least. The best part about this message is its True! It made me evaluate myself because I wanted to make sure I was beautiful inside and out. Thank you, Byron Jamal!
ReplyDeleteByron,
ReplyDeleteYour writing is usually profound. You are a good..if not great writer.....yet this particular piece warrants in my humble opinion a critique.
Just because someone has 'issues,' that cause them to be 'internally' 'ugly,' during the time that you encountered them does not count for much. Are you saying that Byron Jamal has the final say on whether or not someone is to be deemed 'ugly' or 'truly 'beautiful?'
Your statement is borderline arrogant.
On one hand you encourage all to go through their necessary 'process,' which is what I admire about your writing, and then in this post, you almost suggest an abandonment of those who are beautiful 'externally' but with issues 'within.' Which one do you advocate exactly?
Have you ever gone through a period in your own life where you were externally handsome, yet committing ugly acts? I believe you have, but I do not believe that those 'ugly acts' charatarize who you are in your totality---because you had to go through your process.
Are you saying that a person who is ugly inside, cannot change? Are you negating what could have made them ugly in the first place?
If so, I perceive that this post may have been more helpful-in terms of ministry if it ministered to the beautiful person who was 'rotten on the inside' rather than ostracize them.
Reader, I certainly appreciate your interpretation of this nugget. The beauty of the nuggets is that they can be applied in a variety of ways. With that said, let me make clear my understanding of this work.
ReplyDeleteThe title of this nugget states clearly my belief that true beauty must be sensed. I worded this work carefully, saying, "Be more anxious..." That was leaving it open-ended (based on situation not one-size-fits-all), because I don't consider myself the judge of all people's lives. Yes, I acknowledge there is some "rottenness" to us all. The point here is to speak to those who are allured solely around external features but don't take time to sense the validity of the connection (the internal). You speak of "ugly acts." Note that the word "ugly" is not used here. That is intentional. I'm not comparing that to beauty. The external is all that is seen: wealth, status, appearance, etc. Likewise, the internal is not a singular thing. It is focus, passion, maturity, spiritual depth, the ability to love, etc. If you are not like so many, including myself, who can get so caught up in what is seen that sensing is not top priority, then this nugget is not for you. But, it speaks to those who need a reminder to look beyond the apparent...see the purpose. We all have issues. I'm not focused on those. I'm directing my attention towards helping people find internal qualities even more precious than external.
I hope that brings clarity to you about my intent. Thank you again for your support and comment.
Byron,
ReplyDeleteYour response is much appreciated, but my intention was to get you to hopefully see beneath the surface of your own statement here.
What is the purpose of being as you stated 'more anxious' to 'sense' someone's internal beauty versus their outer adornment? Why is that necessary?
Is it necessary because instead of giving something, we are all supposed to be out to get something?
Lets just say for example that we all began to take your advice, and became 'more anxious' to sense inner beauty versus outer. Lets say we met an 'egg' that was absolutely 'rotten.'
Then what?
Your statement is reckless, because it doesn't deal with the 'then what' aspect of the encounter. Your statement is as you said 'open ended' which is reckless.
The Word of God says we are to 'overcome evil with good," and to 'walk in love.' In your statement, as a reader I would have been more appreciative if you talked about the 'then what' aspect of encountering those who are 'rotten internally' This would have been more responsible.
Too many Christians are not doing the above, and are instead disregarding those 'rotten eggs,' when it may have been Gods intention for them to be both beautiful outside and in. Too many of us are 'more anxious' to just get what God has for us, without allowing ourselves to be a transformative tool in someone else's life. I think we should 'be more anxious,' to minister to those who are 'rotten internally,' because clearly they are the ones who need ministry the most. Your statement reeks of self-deprecation, as if to say 'I dont have time for rotten eggs....' Thanks again.
Byron,
ReplyDeleteI must agree...too many Christians have the "I don't have time for a rotten egg" attitude. People never go into a relationship asking, "What can I bring into this person's life." They only ask what they can get from them..if its not what they hold valuable then one is deemed as a rotten egg. Byron, I would like to see you deal with the "then what" side of this post.
Byron,
ReplyDeleteThis is the reader that posted the 11:52 comment. Im led to remind you of a statement you made some time ago that I saw on Facebook. It said something along the lines of "If you can't handle me at my worst, then you dont deserve me at my best." It seemed easy enough for you to say then.
Now in this moment, let us all reflect on the people God intended for us to know that we threw away because they were 'rotten.'
To all readers,
ReplyDeletePlease understand to power and difficulty of a "nugget." It says something in a brief and concise way, but cannot possibly say everything that could be said about the given topic. Aesop's Fables and the book of Proverbs are written in the same manner, pointed thoughts with a direct truth.
Let me couple that with the fact that I have written about the very thing you are speaking of before. I agree with all of your opinions, and I'm so glad you are willing to share them. The world needs to hear them. Just know that I know them too. There is, however, not enough space in a nugget to say it all.
Again, this piece was solely to help those who forget to discern due to the physical display. For clarity, I don't believe anyone is completely rotten. We all have redeeming qualities to us; that is the great joy of our humanity. I never suggest in this or any other piece that I have written about throwing people away. This piece asks for observation and seeing people entirely, not just for what they present externally.
Thank you for this discourse; I hope this adds more clarity to my stance. Take joy in knowing we are in agreement and go into the world and do just what you are suggesting. If anything is reckless, let it be our unwavering faith and commitment to God. My prayers are with you.
Byron Jamal
Thanks Byron, for your response. I enjoy your writing, and pray that you will be the transformative vessel in the lives of those you found to be 'rotten.' God bless.
ReplyDeleteTrue beauty is to be both sensed and seen.
ReplyDeleteGod created both outward and internal beauty. A person who is beautiful outside is a reflection of Gods creative beauty....which should be observed and appreciated.
Who are you to say that external beauty is not 'true' beauty.
What is true beauty, and how would you know when you are not the author of beauty? This piece is way off. Its true that who a person is on the inside is to be valued but that is always changing based on what we have been through and who we are becoming, but true beauty is the whole package of inner and outer. Man it sounds like you are angry with someone. It shows in your writing.
As I follow this thread I have an interesting array of thoughts both about the work itself and the varied perspectives of each reader and what has been expressed. I acknowledge that each of us own's the right to our perspective, this is clearly decided by the degree of light and exposure we engage making each perspective uncommon.
ReplyDeleteI however, based on what I'm reading think much of the authors intent has oddly been lost to you. If we carefully study the work we find we're merely being pointed and not steered. This method seems obvious and necessary to allow everyone an experience with the course of their own solitary process.
Perception is defined as the ability to see, hear, or become aware of something through the senses. From my perspective this nugget has accurately pointed us in the direction to begin or continue our course.
I'm of the school of thought that teaches us to accept help but not to the degree that we make it an absolute, thereby making the aid the focus, never truly receiving what was intended.
The profound at their base are simply planters, born to deliver the seed that may possibly make a home in the intended and grow beyond measure..
Be well people and let go!
Planting a seed is one thing. Expressing a view that is polarized and extreme is another. The title clearly says "True Beauty Is To Be Sensed Not Seen" Thats a direct statement that points us to the author's very polarized and personalized opinion. It does everything except plant a seed that would sprout free thought. The seed planted in this piece is the kind that grows division and judgement. True Beauty is Gods original intention, and Byrons nugget doesnt acurately represent that.Its true, he only has but so much space, but he chose what to include in the space and what not to. What he included suggests much more than a seed.
ReplyDeleteI strongly disagree and feel your sensitivity to the matter is clouding your perception.
ReplyDeleteObviously God adorns many with what some qualify as outer beauty but I think we should consider "perception" yet again, this lives in the eye of the beholder and what may be trash to you, may very well be treasure to another. I'm certain you believe your statements to be true but I see them as an assault. Again, you have every right to feel just as you do and I respect this with distance although I don't quite understand the placement of your motive, your overall view seems subjective, not broad. Division nor judgement were expressed or implied in the nugget however I get both of these from you!
The author is clearly interested in urging others to acknowledge ones outer beauty, the interest however doesn't suggest you limit yourself to this. What's implied is that a form of beauty can be seen, this is apparent, what is deliberately suggested is our need to go beyond what is sensual only and include what is spiritual, what we often don't see, we sense, hence the title!!
It seems your real interests are postured to focus on the author and where you feel he's erred and not encouraging all to see and not just look upon.
I guess a seed that falls will live or die depending on the state of the soil it falls into. I trust for all who were available to the acknowledgement of truth the intended was actualized, we can only pray others would ask questions for clarity and not to malign the character and intent of a voice inspired to cause us to think.
Writers have to be able to take criticism
ReplyDeleteThe author was not attacked. His work was critiqued. big difference