The Kentucky Derby coincided this year with the last day for entries for the first National Hollow Creek Farm Children's Art Contest. I am one of three judges for that. Asherel and I, as we do every year, settled down with a yummy dinner 2 hours before the actual Derby run, and then listened to every tantalizing tidbit about the horses, the jockeys, the owners, the trainers, the past Derby horses, former jockeys, former owners and former trainers, and the future Derby horses, future owners, and future trainers. I am not allowed to speak during the Derby indoctrination session, as Asherel is studiously listening, remembering and filing away every minuscule fact she hears. If she would concentrate one tenth so hard on schoolwork, she'd be in post-graduate school by now.
So I took the time to sketch on my iPod, preparing myself for Round One of the art contest judging after the Derby. The Derby was wonderfully exciting, with history made as jockey Cal won his third Derby on a horse not expected to win, but the winner was unambiguous. The first horse across the line won, no subjective argument about who ran the winning race.
On to the art contest judging and a whole different scenario paints itself. All the artwork is lined up by age groups and the only information I have on each is the name of the HCF animal the piece portrays, and the person's age group. I do have an "objective" judging criteria sheet, with a certain number of points each artist can earn in 5 categories....but as soon as I looked at the first piece, I knew I was doomed. I wanted to give it the perfect 50 points.... but then what if the next piece was better? And can anyone reach perfection in art... and if they can't, how do you assign objective points to such a subjective endeavor?
"I know," I told my assistant, "Let's just throw them all across the room, and the one who lands furthest wins."
"This isn't a horse race," said Asherel.
OK, all you art entrants, don't panic. I made that part up. I didn't say it... but I did think it.
How do you not give points to a clumsily drawn picture that captures completely the essence of the animal he drew? Or how do you judge between three of the most exquisitely drawn dogs I have ever seen, all in different mediums? I praise God there are three judges, because I want to give each entrant first place.
I honestly had no favorites. Each piece carried such a spark of love, and joy, and bubbling creativity that each one I looked at was like a new flower, created just for that nuance of smell that only it can give. I hope each artist understands that, whether they win or not. I had never realized how hard it is to pick just one winner in an art contest. Now I have a little better sense of why God urges us all to work towards the Prize, the goal, the eternal award. If He were to choose only one of His creation to win, how could He? So we all get to win if we press on towards the goal. And the Judge isn't assigning points- He is cheering and standing at the Finish Line with open arms.
Phillippians 3: 13-14
13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
When the race still lies before me,
ReplyDeleteAnd the wind is blowing strong,
When the witnesses surround me,
And my strength is almost gone:
When the valley plunges deeper,
And life shatters all my dreams,
Then I lift my voice to Jesus,
And He gives my spirit wings.
Let us run the race with patience,
Let us lay each weight aside,
Looking only unto Jesus;
He will be our faithful Guide.
He has run the race before us;
He has won the victor's crown,
And He calls to ev'ry Christian,
"Follow Me to higher ground."
God gives wings as eagles:
God gives wings to fly and strength to rise above;
God gives wings as eagles.
When my feet begin to stumble,
And my dreams begin to crumble,
I mount up on eagle's wings.
~ Ron Hamilton
Majesty Music