Cape Florida Lighthouse

Lighthouses – stately, dignified, majestic. To many, a  symbol of beauty. But are all lighthouses beautiful?

What is beautiful to one person may be ugly to another. Some people prefer the ancient stone towers from centuries past which represent
history and legends of antiquity

To others, the beauty lies in the setting such as dramatic cliffs or tranquil beaches.

Some people prefer the round towers while others prefer octagonal or square.

And some even like the screwpile, derrick-like metal towers, which others find unattractive.

Alligator Reef Lighthouse

Then there are the newer, modern towers. Many of these bear little resemblance to the lighthouses of yesteryear.

Yet some people prefer a newer, high-tech appearance over an old, outdated design.

Ancient Greek Lighthouse

So, to use the cliché “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” the measure of a lighthouse’s beauty depends on what the person viewing it likes.

However, no matter what they look like, all lighthouses had one thing in common when they were built – their function. As aids to navigation, they were placed in their appointed locations to warn of unseen dangers in the waters or to guide mariners around land.

Sullivan's Island Lighthouse, S.C.

Like lighthouses, people all look different. Whereas one person might be considered beautiful to another, someone else might not find that person attractive. Unfortunately, people have the habit of comparing others by appearance and measuring them by their own standards of beauty. In doing so, they fail to see the value of the person and who they really are.

Thank God, He does not judge us the way people do. Instead, He looks at our heart – who we are inside – and knows that each of us has a valuable purpose for our lives.

 “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 16:7b