Growing up, I was fairly high-achieving and spent much of my time outside of class reading books and engaging in personal development throughout high school. Elected to various leadership roles and heavily involved in an international business organization called DECA, I was thrilled to receive coaching from top industry executives and global innovators. To me, my purpose in life was to be the very best I could be and to leave the world better than I found it.
Throughout the trainings and conferences I traveled to, I took several personality tests and assessments, such as Myers-Briggs. One that stood out was the VIA Survey of Character Strengths; a scientific assessment that identifies an individuals’ top strengths to help them live and work with greater success and wellbeing [1]. Among the 24 character strengths that the VIA survey measures against, I naturally felt drawn to qualities like leadership, self-control, and perseverance. Unsurprisingly, research shows that these very traits are disproportionately associated with work demands and career pursuits, requiring an “individual to use more of [those strengths] than is natural for them” [2]. However, there was one character trait that always seemed unproductive, unimportant, even unnecessary, to me.
That “strength” was appreciation of beauty.
Like many goal-oriented people, I had spent much of my life taking pride in being the one who gets stuff done and makes things happen. In this mindset, I valued function over beauty and productivity over enjoyment. When my parents would close a Sunday evening by turning on their favorite movie, I often brought my computer with me to the couch. When friends would plan a game night, I always wanted to join, but typically rationalized staying home to check off more to-do items until the invites became less and less frequent. Although the pressure was growing to be unbearable, I didn’t know another way. My self-worth had already become wrapped up in what I could do, not the person I was choosing to be. In my determination to climb the ladder of success, I hardly slowed down long enough to smell the roses or appreciate beauty in life, let alone ask, “Is my ladder even leaning up against the right wall? Who else is going with me? Do I like where I’ll end up?” The last thing I was looking for was a relationship with God. It would take a few years for me to hear the gospel for the first time upon being invited to church by a stranger. But on that day, I did not only discover the Bible presenting an altogether different definition and approach to the meaningful life I’d been craving. That day also sparked my own study of the scriptures, revealing beauty as a key quality of God and instrumental element of the human experience, not to be overvalued and certainly not to be undervalued.
The VIA Survey associates beauty with goodness and excellence, identifying three kinds that individuals with a high appreciation for beauty are responsive to: physical beauty, skill or talent, and virtue or moral goodness [3]. Although appreciation of beauty in any of its forms is a “low match” for work demands and comes less naturally to high-achievers [4], it is strongly correlated with many desirable pursuits in life, such as healthy behaviors [5] and significantly greater life satisfaction amidst hardships [6]. Interestingly, an assessment of nearly 12,000 participants in the VIA Survey diagnosed with a physical or cognitive disability revealed that appreciation of beauty and excellence was consistently among their top five character strengths, accompanied by their love of learning, honesty, kindness, and fairness [7]. Research also shows that those who practice mindfulness – associated with the intentional act of slowing down for prayer or meditation – exude greater appreciation of beauty, along with many other admirable traits [8]. These findings suggest that appreciation of beauty and excellence not only leads to enduring fulfillment in life, but is fostered when we pause from relentless doing and striving.
Many philosophers and scholars throughout history have tried to put words to the concept of beauty as well. In considering the things in life that seem to carry undeniable beauty, such as the longing glances between an engaged couple or the sweet sound of a symphony, Plato and Aristotle describe this sort of beauty as “universal” [9]. They claim that such beauty is recognizable, not by the five senses alone, but by way of deeper, or perhaps higher, faculties. Whereas some beauty is “in the eye of the beholder”, there are certain substances and experiences that share nothing in common despite their unmistakable beauty. Indeed, even the highest of achievers struggle to deny the beauty in a radiant sunset or sunrise.
Interestingly, other historical thought leaders, like Kant and Schopenhauer, emphasize that it is permissible for beauty to be appreciated, but that it should not enrapture the attention or focus of an individual [10]. Marcus Aurelius takes things a step further, suggesting that humans “strip away the legend that encrusts” seemingly beautiful things or experiences [11]. These perspectives suggest that humans curtail any and all pleasure that may be derived from beauty, reminding themselves that a delicious mug of steaming coffee is really just “a cup of hot bean water” or that they themselves are ultimately just “flesh and bone.” Another Stoic philosopher, Chrysippus, defined beauty as “a summetria of parts with each other and with a whole” [12]. The word summetria alludes to a kind of completion wherein beauty is not found in the isolated elements themselves, but is present in the symphony which erupts when those pieces come together [13]. This view sheds light on the tie between beauty, wholeness, and completion. Even still, Chrysippus would affirm that no matter how beautiful the harmony of disparate pieces coming together may be, such beauty is not something to be swept away by.
And yet, among those who prioritize work above all things in life, a commonly shared experience is one of disharmony. In an overworked, overtired, and over-isolated generation with 63.2% of American business people working more than 5 hours on the weekends [14] and the majority of adult workers monitoring emails outside of the office [15], it should come as no surprise that work-life balance is one of the most sought-after qualities among modern job applicants [16]. Furthermore, most Americans claim they would take a lower-paying job just to enjoy more work-life balance, perhaps more summetria [17].
Certainly, the Bible is rife with mentions of beauty found in creation – the ornate and detailed beauty of the bride and groom in Song of Solomon being just one example (v. 4:7). But most captivating is that scripture continually points to the triune God as the chief object of beauty and a sort of North Star in our pursuit of a meaningful, harmonious life.
One such example of a highly-driven and accomplished character whose temporal pursuits paled in comparison to the beauty of the Lord was King David. In Psalm 27, he writes “One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.” (verse 4, emphasis added). While scholars are not certain of the exact circumstances in David’s life when he penned this psalm, he undoubtedly faced several lofty goals and heart-wrenching challenges. From his humble beginnings as a shepherd, to his famous defeat of Goliath, to his promotion to administer “justice and equity to all his people” (1 Chronicles 18:14) as king, to his wandering from God in pursuit of another man’s wife before finally returning to faith, David surely had many things he could “ask from the Lord” (Psalm 27:4a). And yet, he is most remembered, not for his mistakes, accolades, or productivity. Rather, David is known for what the Lord had to say about him: “I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will” (Acts 13:22, emphasis added).
So what is the beauty that David was so enraptured by?
Maybe, just maybe, the answer is revealed in the Trinity, God’s three-in-one nature. God the Father sent his own son as a sacrifice for our sins; “sin” meaning to fall short, to fail, “to miss the mark” [18], and to ultimately defy God’s perfect character. His Son, Jesus, so willingly poured himself out so that those who believe could have peace and a restored relationship with God. And within each and every believer, the everpresent Holy Spirit dwells as a mighty counselor, equipper, companion, and guide. There is a divine beauty that shines forth in the way that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are completely and wholly one, much like the summetria described by Chrysippus [19]. As noted by Plato and Aristotle, such beauty is undeniable, yet is impossible to pinpoint with our five senses alone, hence the frequent reference to “mystery” that’s found in nearly every discussion of the trinity among leaders from the early church even up to the modern age [20]. For the Christian, the beauty of the Lord encountered through time spent in His triune presence is an immense source of pleasure and deep-soul satisfaction that no level of success, achievement, or earthly love can compare to. Furthermore, that time spent resting in God’s presence is hardly a waste for the high-achiever, as it actually strengthens us in the work we are called to do: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it” (Isaiah 30:15, emphasis added).
If God is beautiful, what then does that say about humans like us?
At the level of the individual, Christian and secular philosophers alike agree that beauty consists, not merely of physical qualities, but of higher virtues such as “wisdom, courage, justice, and temperance” [21]. Indeed, this is affirmed by the Word of God: “Do not consider his appearance or his height…The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7, emphasis added). Additionally, 1 Peter 3:3-4 reads “Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God” (emphasis added). While I had spent years of my life deriving confidence from how I looked in the mirror, a new outfit, or the level of fitness I could achieve in the gym, it wasn’t until I started putting my confidence in God that He revealed to me a deeper beauty that never fades and never goes out of style. God does not dismiss our physical beauty, but rather calls us higher to the heart of the matter, celebrating inner beauty in ourselves and all those around us.
If that were not enough, Jesus’ final prayer for God’s people before he is taken to be crucified on the cross is this: “Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name–the name you gave me–so that they may be one as we are one” (John 17:11b, emphasis added). This prayer suggests that there is a level of oneness, perhaps untapped summetria, that is only cultivated through the power of God in those who put their faith in Him. If the first step of a relationship with God is to believe in his son, Jesus, it is in the remaining and abiding with him (John 15) that God delights to make us beautiful in ways we never could be on our own.
God is always more relational than directional; always more concerned with who His people are becoming than what they’re doing. He yearns to give what Scripture calls the fruit of the Holy Spirit: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22). For the Christian, these gifts are cultivated in us by God (Ezekiel 16:14), not by works or efforts. In fact, like gold refined through fire, they are most often brought forth through great trial and hardship! Yet, the beauty of these qualities transcends every aesthetic, every goal, every trend we could ever strive to keep up with. They serve as marks of adoption into the family of God and sign-posts to the kingdom of heaven. Certainly, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). In this way, our beauty is but a fraction, a foretaste, a hint at God’s beauty, yet it is more than sufficient to bring honor and glory to Him (Psalm 45:11).
As we turn to unanswered emails, unchecked to-do items, undeveloped projects, and the untackled work week ahead, perhaps we can follow in David’s footsteps for just a few minutes every day, attending to the unchanging beauty of God with zero strings or expectations attached. To do so not only nourishes the soul – it also offers the chance to be set free from dependence on the fleeting nature of the world, instead deriving dignity from the belief that we ourselves are creations of the Expert on beauty itself. No matter our achievements or lack thereof, we can seek the beauty of God in this very moment. Maybe just maybe, we’ll find ourselves confidently declaring, “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” (Psalm 139:14)
Amidst all the things David could chase after – power, wealth, the approval of others – his utmost prayer was simply “to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple”. By tapping into his God-given ability to appreciate beauty, David left a legacy, not of a productive life, but of a beautifully redemptive story. In God’s presence, there is an invitation to be “confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” (Psalm 27:13).
Through the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, God delights to show the many facets of His beauty to those of us who have faith to seek it. To suspend our striving and posture ourselves in praise before the beauty of the Lord invites Him to bring forth a beauty in us that’s nothing short of divine. May His beauty shine forth to and through you, summetria and all.
Endnotes
- “VIA Character Strengths Survey & Character Reports,” accessed December 7, 2022, https://www.viacharacter.org/.
- “Appreciation of Beauty & Excellence | Character Strengths | VIA Institute,” accessed December 7, 2022, https://www.viacharacter.org/character-strengths/appreciation-of-beauty-and-excellence.
- Nuno Da Camara, “Money, K., Hillenbrand, C. & Da Camara, N. (2009). Putting Positive Psychology to Work. Journal of General Management, Vol. 34, No. 3, UK: Braybrooke.,” January 1, 2009.
- Ibid.
- René T. Proyer et al., “What Good Are Character Strengths beyond Subjective Well-Being? The Contribution of the Good Character on Self-Reported Health-Oriented Behavior, Physical Fitness, and the Subjective Health Status,” The Journal of Positive Psychology 8 (2013): 222–32, https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2013.777767.
- Christopher Peterson, Nansook Park, and Martin E. P. Seligman, “Greater Strengths of Character and Recovery from Illness,” The Journal of Positive Psychology 1 (2006): 17–26, https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760500372739.
- Emre Umucu et al., “Character Strengths Across Disabilities: An International Exploratory Study and Implications for Positive Psychiatry and Psychology,” Frontiers in Psychiatry 13 (2022), https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.863977.
- Dandan Pang and Willibald Ruch, “The Mutual Support Model of Mindfulness and Character Strengths,” Mindfulness 10, no. 8 (August 1, 2019): 1545–59, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-019-01103-z.
- Andrea Borghini, “What Is Beauty? A Philosophical Quest for an Answer,” ThoughtCo, accessed December 7, 2022, https://www.thoughtco.com/how-do-philosophers-think-about-beauty-2670642.
- Rhett Diessner, “Brainiac Beauty: Philosophers and Beauty—What Some Philosophers Have to Say About Beauty That Is Relevant to Empirical Aesthetics (Or Possibly Just Interesting),” in Understanding the Beauty Appreciation Trait: Empirical Research on Seeking Beauty in All Things, ed. Rhett Diessner (Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2019), 15–44, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-32333-2_2.
- Ryan Holiday, “An Interview with the Master: Robert Greene on Stoicism,” accessed December 7, 2022, https://dailystoic.com/robert-greene-interview/.
- “Take a Walk (Or a Run),” Daily Stoic (blog), August 2, 2017, https://dailystoic.com/take-walk-run/.
- “A Stoic Response to Beauty,” Daily Stoic (blog), August 8, 2018, https://dailystoic.com/a-stoic-response-to-beauty/.
- “Work-Life Balance Stats Among Business Professionals,” GCU, October 29, 2020, https://www.gcu.edu/blog/business-management/work-life-balance-stats-among-business-professionals.
- Patricia Reaney, “‘Americans Are Definitely Workaholics,’” Business Insider, accessed December 7, 2022, https://www.businessinsider.com/r-checking-work-emails-at-home-its-part-of-the-job-for-most-americans-2015-7.
- “Millennials Want A Healthy Work-Life Balance. Here’s What Bosses Can Do.,” accessed December 7, 2022, https://www.forbes.com/sites/ellevate/2020/07/23/millennials-want-a-healthy-work-life-balance-heres-what-bosses-can-do/?sh=53d11ab07614.
- “Work-Life Balance Stats Among Business Professionals,” GCU, October 29, 2020, https://www.gcu.edu/blog/business-management/work-life-balance-stats-among-business-professionals.
- “Sin – YouTube,” accessed December 7, 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNOZ7ocLD74&t=68s.
- “Take a Walk (Or a Run),” Daily Stoic (blog), August 2, 2017, https://dailystoic.com/take-walk-run/.
- Kieth Mathison, “The Mystery of the Trinity,” Tabletalk, July 13, 2020, https://tabletalkmagazine.com/posts/the-mystery-of-the-trinity/.
- William O. Stephens, review of Review of: The Stoic theory of beauty, by Aistė Čelkytė, Bryn Mawr Classical Review, accessed December 7, 2022, https://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2021/2021.07.44/.