Can we humans improve on the beauty of nature? I know; there are lots of plastic surgeons that believe they can, but I’m not talking about aging humans. I’m talking about the beauty of nature in the sense of a landscape, or maybe a blooming flower. I think the answer to my question is probably “No!” But maybe the closest we come is with some of our bridges. This first occurred to me while looking across San Francisco Bay from the top of a hill in Berkeley. It’s a dramatic scene, and I thought to myself, “The view is better because of the Golden Gate Bridge.” I have never seen the Stari Most Bridge in Mostar, Herzegovina, but it looks beautiful in pictures and has been admired for centuries both because of its own beauty and because of how it embraces its setting. Some of the Swiss bridges designed by Robert Maillart also seem to enhance their settings, which, again judging by pictures, were very dramatic to begin with.

Stari Most Bridge

In architecture there is always a debate about form versus function, and the true beauty of bridges lies in their function. They unite separated communities. For example, bridges such as the Chain Bridge united the Hungarian towns of Buda and Pest, which had been separated by the Danube, into the thriving metropolis of Budapest, and contributed to its beautiful setting. The bridges into the island of Manhattan helped turn it into an international business center. Roebling’s Brooklyn Bridge still serves this role after over 130 years; its graceful beauty has also attracted tourists for the entire time. Most of us could probably name examples of important (and maybe beautiful) bridges in our home communities.

I had a former pastor who from time to time gave the following definition of sin in his sermons. He said that “sin is anything that separates us from God.” I think that does a good job of describing our human condition. It’s as if we’re on one side of a chasm, called sin, and God is on the other. Fortunately God provided a bridge across that chasm – Christ. 1 Timothy 2:5 says, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.” Furthermore, that bridge is beautifully adorned with God’s freely given grace and His unconditional love for YOU and me.

Jim