“The Good and Beautiful Bible Study” is my newest little treasure. It’s a devotional series which combines art elements with Scripture. Today’s reading was about the woman who anointed Jesus. She broke open a very expensive bottle of perfume and washed Jesus’ feet with it. She was seen as wasteful by everyone who witnessed the event, but Jesus saw something different; He saw beauty, beauty expressed through radical generosity.

Wasteful and generous—these are two conflicting adjectives that can both be used to describe the same situations depending on who’s doing the describing. Wastefulness and beauty alike are truly in the eyes of the beholder, aren’t they? Did Jesus waste His life by dying on the cross for our sins when He could have easily chosen not to? Or was he radically generous?

These beautiful flowers which appear to be poured out onto the ground represent the outpouring of generosity, the outpouring of beauty. Radical generosity is beautiful to Jesus. When was the last time someone showed you radical generosity? This was one of the questions at the end of the devotional.

It took me a minute to come up with something, actually. The truth is, generosity is not all that common, especially radical generosity. Then God reminded me of Valentine’s Day this passed year. The mother of a patient of mine had gifted me a white rose and a blue cup with candy. I thanked her and told her how much I appreciated her generosity. I had nothing to give to her in return. Truthfully, I wasn’t even her son’s primary nurse anymore, but he would only be in my room occasionally. She had nothing to gain by giving me anything, but for some reason she did. That reason is because she possesses something very valuable, precious, and absolutely beautiful—inward goodness. I learned a new word in my devotional reading. “Kalos” is the Greek word for an outward expression of inward goodness. We must never stop looking for, taking notice of, and cherishing kalos.

I received a text message later that day from the mother who had given the gifts to me—a photo of a bright pink metallic cup with hearts on it. “I found an even prettier cup while I was out today, and I really wanted you to have this one too!” She exclaimed. It was this second cup that solidified in my mind just how inwardly beautiful this woman really is. Her kindness comes from a place of pure love, pure joy, and it never runs out.

Often times when we are generous, it will go unnoticed, unappreciated, and unreciprocated; keep being generous anyway. I pray your kindness never runs out, and I pray your cup is filled with joy in return. Lastly I pray you never forget just how beautiful you are.