Rejection

Tuesday I attended the local National League of American Pen Women (NLAPW) meeting. I am a member and proud to be a part of this prestigious group. The group is not just for writers. It includes musicians and artists. Our local group is primarily artists.

The speaker, Mary McBride, is a curator for a local art gallery. She shared her own creative talent for quilted crafts and her "Bear" poetry. She also shared some insight she has about rejection. Most art galleries accept submissions to be displayed through a process called jurying. A jury, consisting of various artists, will review the submissions and choose the ones that should be exhibited.

Mary shared that most jury members judge others work according to their own style and preferences. Prejudicial? Yes. For example, one juror she worked with chose only art work that contained circles and lines. Another would refuse any art that had purple in it because she hated the color purple. Mary effectively opened our eyes to understand that most rejection of our work is due to the prejudice of the one who is in the seat of judgment, not the quality of our work. Whether it be a written work, art, or musical score, we place our work before someone with a preconceived idea of what is good. The truth is we all look through prejudicial eyes. People judge others by faith, color of skin, education and a host of other prejudices. It is a human flaw.

In contrast to our human frailty of judging unfairly and with a closed mind, God judges rightly. His rule is true and honest. He includes every good work done for His glory to be prized in heavenly halls. We can trust Him with our honest efforts of creativity. It is only our rejection of Him that will be judged harshly.

God The Almighty Judge, you are truth and your scales of justice are fair and righteous. I want so much to judge others rightly, as You do. I find that I fall short of that desire when I look through prejudicial eyes. Thank You for revealing Your love to me and help me to love others like You do. Lord, I remember Amy Grants' song "Father's Eyes." Let me see with Your eyes and judge rightly or not judge at all!