The MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) happened last night on Monday Aug.20, 2018. Say what you want about it, love it or hate it, it’s North American pop culture that helps shape our world and views. At the heart of it, the VMAs is a celebration of artistry.
I’m not here to talk about the VMAs itself. Rather I had a moment to reflect today about something I read on Twitter as a result of an outcome during one of the VMA categories.
Basically the tweet went on to say that a certain artist didn’t deserve to win the category against all the other nominees. At first I just read the tweet and didn’t think much about it. Just kept scrolling. I personally am not a fan of the artist, and that’s not saying they are bad, but when thinking about the other nominees I was like dang – that was a really stacked category how did they win?
As an artist, I am used to critique. It’s part of what shapes us as an artist and it’s unavoidable in any artistic field. However there’s a lot more hate out in the world today that constructive criticism. There’s a lot more people telling you how you’re not good enough, how you won’t make it, or how much better other people are. To some degree I’ve become numb and just accept those negative criticisms as part of the fine arts world. You learn to grow tough skin. But something triggered in me today and I thought, where is the humanity in this?
I suppose when I think about my own self and how I got to where I am today I question how did I, of all people, get here. How did I out of all members become a chapter head? How did I become the YCOM program area head; when I wasn’t even a group head nor have I ever served pass chapter level? How did my portfolio hold up against all the other hundreds of candidates for Film School? And the list, in my opinion, can go on.
To be honest, I always rooted for the underdogs because I always saw myself as an underdog. Yet I knew the reason I experienced the things that I did and got to where I am today, is nothing other than God’s grace.
God’s plan for you is so great and unfathomable, it can surpass your wildest dreams! Yet you will never know just how great of a life you can live and just how much more you can achieve if you don’t try.
People question and ask how can they trust God in their lives. It’s simple, you trust by trying. If you never try, you can never win. But beyond that, you must believe in yourself no matter what the outcome.
It took me a long time to accept my anointing in my service roles. As a result time, precious dreams and goals were wasted because I thought I wasn’t good enough. In fact, a similar thing happened when I was in school. I almost went through my program without trying the one thing I really wanted to do before I even got into the school. Directing. Fortunately I had a voice within me that was strong enough to know that I could not live with regret in my life. In my fourth year, final year of my program, I applied for a directing course within the fiction stream. It’s a competitive course to get into as they only accept 12 students out of a program that has approximately 75-100. On top of which most of the directors in that class had already taken the prerequisite directing class in third year. The odds of me, not having taken the prerequisite and competing against 20+ students who were applying for the class, seemed extremely low. Yet again, nothing other than what I can explain as God’s grace allowed me to get into the class!
Did I get into the class because I was better than the people who didn’t make it? No. Absolutely not, in fact probably opposite. But at the end of the day I was there to learn and grow. In all my service roles and in all my art courses, whether I believed in myself or not, at the end of the day I grew and learned a lot from them. I did so with the support of others around me. I like to think that I supported those around me as well. Because that’s what we do, as brothers and sisters – as human beings – we should support and uphold each-other’s dignity and dreams. When it comes to awards and recognition, we should be fair and honest. If something seems off or not in agreement with you, you can inquire about it without defaming or publicly shamming the recipient. Furthermore, whether you personally like a person or not, I believe you should give constructive criticism based on their work and not give biased personal attacks.
I say all this because I imagine my life achievements as awards from the Lord. Do I deserve to win? no-one rarely deserves to win in our long term perspective of life. We are all unworthy of the eternal reward of Heaven. Yet we try our best to pursue a worthwhile life. So before calling out anyone in blunt manner, I think people should put themselves into the perspective of the other. And rather than tear down, look for ways to build up one another respectfully.
Social Media Pro-Tip:
It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.
In Christ,
Meagan Webb