When the Olympics begin, make a point of watching the faces and body posture of the athletes who are waiting for their chance to compete.  When a beautiful dive has been executed, you can see admiration on their faces, but, more than that, determination to do better.  When a record has been broken, the runners waiting want to break it better.  They are eager for the chance.

Jesus came, according to Paul’s letter to Titus, and:

¹⁴ …”gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.”   (Titus 2:14b)

The word translated, good, literally means “beautiful.”  When people have been “redeemed from all wickedness,” the things they are eager to do are truly beautiful.  Not just inoffensive, or plain vanilla, but strikingly beautiful!  You know the video on the ‘net of the basketball team who rallied around the boy with special needs and gave him a chance to score the winning basket?  That kind of beauty.  The kind that is seen through a tear of inspiration.

Craftsmen are eager to “do what is beautiful.”  They are not content with ordinary.  They want people to experience an uplifting thrill.  Jesus had it in mind for His people to be craftsmen of beautiful things.  I wish Christian films “out-Spielberged” Spielberg instead of putting up with simplistic plots and mediocre acting.  I wish Christian music transported people to new heights.  I wish everything done to honor Jesus’ great love and grace would be known for astonishing beauty.

According to Paul, so does Jesus…