#1 - Susan Boyle - Why Her Performance Touches Us

As she walked onto the stage (on Good Friday, April 10), you could hear snickering from the large audience of the popular British television talent show “Britain’s Got Talent.” She had anything but a svelte and glamorous figure. In fact, she looked like a downright frumpy middle-aged woman who appeared to have no business vying to win the competition. Even the judges appeared ready to launch into the woman who was undoubtedly going to be the evening’s singular laughingstock. Or was she?

Susan Boyle had forgone pursuing a music career (ha-ha?) to care for her ailing mother .She said that she dreamed to be a great singer and hoped that this would be her opportunity. As one judge remarked later, “Everyone was against her.” But he moment Susan began to sing, the snickering instantly stopped and after just a few seconds the entire place seemed to shake with thunderous applause with people standing and cheering. The supposed ugly duckling was actually a very beautiful swan after all. Over 25 million hits (!) and counting have been recorded on You Tube on the sight that records this incredible moment. Many have said (including your truly) that they actually have come to tears listening to her sing.

What happened? Well, first of all the obvious. Amidst a time of severe worldwide economic downturn, growing joblessness, home foreclosures, a killer earthquake in Italy, severe tornados ripping through the American south, and ships being attacked by pirates, the world has become a more cynical place and gloom seems to be the order of the day. Susan Boyle’s incredible voice seems to cut through all of that and succeeds in lifting the spirits of all who feel downtrodden. Her voice is like the sound of hope in the midst of incredible and seemingly unending darkness. And oh, does the world need that desperately.

Another obvious point goes back to that spirit of cynicism. As we listen to Susan, we become aware of the ugliness of spirit in almost all of us that almost enjoys looking down on others whom we determine do not measure up to our standard of what is beautiful and of worth. We also realize that, as with her, we have all been injured in some way by being prematurely judged and dismissed by others and that each of us longs to be accepted for who we are. Somewhere deep within us, we each have a sense that we are more than what others have come to see, that there is even “a divine spark,” if you will, that makes us special and we long to experience it.

The Bible – and thus Christianity alone – teaches us that that “divine spark” is rooted in the truth that we are each made in the image of God. And though that image has been marred by the sins of commission and omission we are ALL responsible for (Romans 3:23), God wants us to come into a personal relationship with him so that He can enable us to live the full and abundant life we were destined to live. (John 10:10) And, as we look at Susan Boyle it also tells us that: “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (I Samuel 16:7) Furthermore, He tells us: “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” (I Corinthians 1:27)

Hurrah for Susan Boyle! May she inspire each of us to dare to dream big dreams, and to pursue those dreams with humble but determined confidence, no matter what or how many may stand against us.

You can see the video of Susan at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxPZh4AnWyk