If there is anything that is often misunderstood, it is art. We like some types of art, and some, we have to scratch our heads to figure out. Design in general can have bizarre outcomes, and a given piece of art may seem strange to the onlooker. With the cornucopia of styles and designers, who can tell what will come from the mind.
Let us follow the principle. When I looked up some pieces of artwork and their sale prices, I was blown away. The art seemed pointless and hilarious, but the sale prices were exorbitant. Yet, who am I to tell? It is not my work, neither my hands that made, nor my heart that designed the art. It is the designers. Sometimes we see art that lacks…well, everything. For example, an art with just one color, seems as if someone painted blue over a piece of paper and said, “Tadah! Here’s my art.” We may look at such an artwork and even say, “I can do that; I could even paint mine bluer than theirs.” Well, so we would think, but when it comes to matters of the heart, no one can contest another’s work. We may view someone’s design as ridiculous and pointless; many people can even debate the worth , but who decides the value of a design? Not the spectator; only the designer knows the TRUE value.
I know, we cannot be moved by every piece of art work, interested in every kind of dance, or every kind of music, but every design that comes from the hands of the Master Designer should be our interest. However, as art is misunderstood, unfortunately, we misunderstand others, and sometimes we ourselves are misunderstood.
Remember, Jesus was misunderstood. Therefore, He understands what it is to be misjudged. Jesus reached out to the criminals, the crippled and the condemned. He crossed all racial and all societal barriers. Society has placed us in groups and subgroups. With all the ‘isms, ‘istics, ‘als and ‘abilities, we find ourselves judging others and being judged. But Jesus saw people in one group, part of one family—children of God. Some choose to step outside of the family, but we all came from the hands of the Master Designer. Jesus genuinely loved those who were misunderstood.
If you are being misunderstood, remember that you are a perfect thought. Pray for and forgive those who misunderstand you. Turn your eyes and mind to the one who designed you for direction and guidance to the path of perfection. Just because you came from the same hands that designed those misunderstanding you, always remember, you are not inferior to them.
Jesus also had pity on those who were doing the misunderstanding. He knew their thoughts about Him, and it broke His heart that they could not understand. They misunderstood His purpose. They misunderstood His actions. They misunderstood His claims to be Son of God. They misunderstood His passion for equality, freedom, and unity. They misunderstood Him to the point of hate. Misunderstood people are often hated. Then hate breeds murder and all sorts of wickedness. So finally, they killed Jesus because of a misunderstanding. Yes, He was sent to die and is the Perfect Medium, but those hollering “crucify Him,” gushed out those cries from their broken cisterns of ignorance.
If you are doing the misunderstanding, then pray for an accepting and nonjudgmental heart. Turn your eyes and mind away from the differences you see in those you misunderstand, and focus on the oneness we all share. Just because they came from the same hands that designed you, they deserve that much from you. Just because they came from the same heart that values you, they deserve your respect.
Finally, as followers of Jesus, we will be misunderstood. If you are misunderstood because you follow Jesus, then you have nothing to worry about. Until those misunderstanding you have been truly transformed by the perfect medium, Jesus Christ, then they will misunderstand. Your faith will seem unrealistic. Your prayers will seem annoying. Your praises will seem out of place. But, as long as you are on display in the gallery of our world, keep shining, even if you are misunderstood. When the Pharisees pass by you, welcome them and teach them of God’s love, just like Jesus did.
John 15: 19, “The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you” (NLT).
Artwork: Avocet Brooks
Finding Fortunes 
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