Ignored Beauty

My husband sent me the above video clip that I found very interesting. It was originally posted by Washington Post Staff Writer, Gene Weingarten. So click on his name to read his article in its entirety. It’s an experiment the Post set up with the cooperation of Joshua Bell, a violin virtuoso.

I found some things interesting about this experiment in human nature. Joshua Bell plays an instrument made in the 1700s by Stradivari valued at $3.5 million dollars. He gets paid $1,000 a minute to perform in concert. Yet in this experiment he played for 43 minutes for free, performed 6 classical pieces while 1,097 people walked by. Granted this is a busy metro in Washington, DC during rush hour. Coming from New York, rush hour is an insane time. Most people are so focused and determined to reach their destination the last thing on their minds is to stop for a “street musician.” Some people did give him money (he made $32.17). Only one person recognized him.

At first glance this was an ordinary looking man, doing an ordinary thing to most people. In reality he’s one of the world’s greatest violinists. So what does that say about society?

How often do we pass by beauty and ignore it? How often do forget to acknowledge beauty around us? How often do we cheapen the beauty that surrounds us by offering it pennies? How often are we in such a rush in our daily lives that we don’t stop and admire beauty?

When Jesus walked the earth how many people recognized His true beauty and that He was the messiah they were waiting for? I’ve wondered if I lived back then would I have been one of those in the crowd that shunned Him or would I have been one of those faithful followers. Would I have come around later on after He rose from the dead?

How often do I ignore, forget to acknowledge, cheapen, and don’t stop to admire God during my day? As I’ve matured in my relationship with the Father, I ignore Him less. But the goodness of God is that even if His beauty is ignored, He’s there to appreciate the beauty in us. He never cheapens it or walks by it. He recognizes how valuable we truly are. He loves us and for this I’m truly grateful.

© Nadine Z. 2007