Sometimes I feel like Belle. I see Beauty. Everyone sees a Beast.
For the first time I saw myself like Belle's father, Maurice. I was trapped in my sin the same way Maurice was trapped with the Beast. If you remember the movie, Belle agreed to take her father's inprisonment so that her father can go free.
Well, in the same way, I finally understood that Jesus substituted Himself for me on the cross, allowing me to go free while He paid the penalty for my sins. I fell in love with Jesus for paying the price I could never afford to pay so that I could have the relationship with God I was created to have.
Much later in the movie, Belle figured out that she had the Beast all wrong. Not only was the beast nothing like she thought, she fell in love with Him.
When I fell in love with Jesus, I've learned that this is not the common view of Him.
Sometimes, there's apathy. People don't feel much when His name is mentioned. At other times, there is pure hostility.
Part of being a Christian means taking unpopular stances in our culture. Whenever the Christian worldview clashes with the culture - especially in the areas of creation, sexuality and abortion - sparks tend to fly.
Admittedly, there are times when we as Christians haven't explained our positions in the most articulate, loving and Christlike of manners.
However, even when we have been Christlike and articulate as we reason with people in the market place, the culture tends to come away thinking our God is much more beastlike than beautiful.
Whenever you are tempted to see God as more Beast than Beauty, please think about what happened at the cross so that you and I could be reconciled to God.
For an interesting take on Beauty or Beast theological debate, you can read an article about a book called, "Is God a Moral Monster?" here .
Truth! Love it! -- Tara
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