I’ve been reading through the book of Exodus and can’t help but wonder at the significant portion of text that has been allotted to outlining instructions for the crafting of the tabernacle, ark of the covenant, and priestly clothing (35-40). Intricate details are given by God himself in the instructions for the craftsmen, and only the finest of materials are to be used: precious and rare goods such as rich scarlet, purple, and blue threads for embroidering pomegranates onto curtains and robes, candle stands being hammered into the shape of almond blossoms from pure gold, acacia wood overlaid with gold for the ark, and the most precious gems to embellish all of it.
It’s chapter after long chapter of this. Why is there such real estate in the scripture devoted to these instructions? The design is extravagant and beyond lovely. Surely God could dwell among his people just as well with a more simple place of worship, a less complicated place of dwelling. Or at least why did biblical authors feel we needed to know all these details?
Beauty is important to God and so it should be important to us.
What was the purpose of the Tabernacle being beautiful? I think for one it was a reminder to the people that the presence of God itself is beautiful, a tangible reminder that life with God brings about rest and joy and delight. It creates a longing for a deeper wholeness and restoration that is to come.
“…Meaningful art helps us access the beauty of what it means to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of our lives.” -Dr. Curt Thompson
I think there’s something to glean here about the purpose of beauty, especially in the context of the places we gather with our community to worship. Really, the first and most pervasive expression of this is in the home, where we gather daily with our families and hopefully are worshiping him through all of our routines and activities with one another.
The Tabernacle is also a lesson in excellence in our work. There’s something special about a craftsman using their own God given skills and turning to pour those back out for the glory of God and the joy and delight of his people as they bring glory to his name. Excellence in our work is something for which we should aim as followers of Christ, and I think that it should be considered a cornerstone of the Christian life.
Excellence in our work is a biblical principle. It sets us apart. I’ve thought before about the people that I love and respect as leaders in my faith, and I think it’s funny to think about the work ethic of those people. Not one of them could ever be described as lazy or even mediocre. None of them were people who halfway did things. No matter the type of work—healthcare, retail, childrearing—there is a common thread of excellence and a strong desire in them to do good work.
And that commitment to doing good work set them apart.
I also think there’s something to glean here about the purpose of beauty, especially in the context of the places we gather with our community to worship. Really, the first and most pervasive expression of this is in the home, where we gather daily with our families and hopefully are worshiping him through all of our routines and activities with one another.
This translates into our own lives and the moments that make them, whether its home, work, or play. Can we create more beauty around us—whether in design, meals, or moments— just for the sake of beauty and delight? Would my people be better served, maybe more at peace or rest if I were to hang those dang curtains that have been sitting on the floor in the corner for several weeks now? Would my daughter delight in getting to pick out the color of her own bedroom (deep breath, it’s just paint). Maybe I should honestly get off the couch and make a nutritious meal for my family instead of ordering (another) pizza. Perhaps I should let my eager-to-help daughter contribute to dinner, setting aside my own schedule and hangups with perfection. What if we did a family game night instead of turning on the television? In my business, how can I strive for more excellence, just as my Creator spared no good thing when making every process and provision in this beautiful world that we live in?
Not everything can be beautiful and perfect all the time. Toys and kids make messes that make our living rooms less than ideal for a magazine cover. There’s been a huge push for minimalism in the past decade, and I can’t help but think that in its most extreme version, it’s definitely cold. Toy rotation charts are all over the internet. Entire industries exist trying to make homes not look lived in. But when we are doing these things for the sake of our home instead of for the sake of the ones who dwell within it, then we have missed the point. So I’m trying to ask myself more questions like, “What will make my family and guests more at rest?” and “What do my people like to look at/eat/play?” and “If I couldn’t post it on the internet, would I still do it?”
It’s all about balance. The cleaning, cooking, working, playing, toy and stuff management, decorations. What can I make more beautiful or delicious or delightful or inviting—not for the sake of taking a picture of it, but for the sake of loving my people and helping them experience little snippets of the heaven on earth that is to come. I’d like to think that excellence in the things of the home—just like excellence in our more “traditional” 9-5 work—is a worthwhile effort.
Creating beauty is meaningful work. By wrapping all who enter my home with this tangible expression of love and forethought, my longing is to bring about community, belonging, peace, and to let others know that they are cherished.
