If, as some suppose, we live in a world formed by purposeless processes, why should there be beauty? Autumn leaves needn't dazzle the eye with their rich multicolored display. Spring flowers needn't fascinate by color, form and fragrance. These and countless other examples can, of course, be explained by the scientific processes or necessities which underly them (recycling of chlorophyl at the end of the growing season which allows the previously masked oranges, reds and browns to emerge; reliance on color, shape and fragrance to attract insects necessary for pollination), but our capactiy to appreciate the resulting beauty should not be taken for granted. Beauty and the power to perceive it are ours by design-- for our enjoyment and inspiration, but most of all that we might be drawn to the One who is the source of all beauty and who loves it best.
What purpose does a sunset serve
but to stir the human soul--
to captivate us and intrigue
perchance to make us whole?
None, some say, it's all explained
by physics plain and clear--
the turning earth and light that's bent
through the atmosphere.
That explains the colors
but not why we should care--
not why we're captivated
by something way out there.
What holds the eye and thrills the heart
in colors in the sky?
Perhaps an understanding
that there's more than meets the eye.
