Auditioning?

By Davie F. Ledbetter

OUR son had just auditioned for a musical theater production. He had his heart set on a particular part. He didn't get the part, or any part for that matter. He was disappointed, and my wife and I tried to cheer him up, but we weren't too successful.

That evening as I thought about how to deal with his disappointment and his desire to pursue performing as a career, I felt that a spiritual view, as always, was necessary. He would be auditioning for roles for some years to come, and it just didn't seen right to have to struggle with discouragement every time he didn't receive the role he desired. How could he approach auditioning more freely and eliminate any sense of failure, whether he received a part or not?

In one of Paul's letters to the Corinthians he says, "Glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's" (I Cor. 6:20). That was a good starting point. what was the purpose of an audition? Was it to impress a director, a producer, or fellow performers? Was it to be cast in a particular role or become part of an ensemble? Was the audition merely something that led to something else? Or, was it an experience that was valuable in and of itself? If one's sole purpose in auditioning is to glorify God, good, to express Him to the fullest in that particular activity, then failure is impossible. You do not judge your success in glorifying God by what comes next. You strive to be the best expression of God you can be, and that is all that is required of you. This motive sets us free to be the expression God created us to be.

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