Feeling the Spirit in Unexpected Places
by -I recently watched a video of Susan Boyle’s first performance on “Britain’s Got Talent,” Britain’s version of “American Idol.” God taught me an important lesson through this seemingly secular video.
When Susan Boyle first came on stage, everyone thought she was so ordinary. Susan is a bit overweight and somewhat awkward looking. People smirked at her and rolled their eyes. She seemed so valueless. After her performance, however, her great personal value was apparent. People looked at her in astonishment. This seemingly ordinary woman was, in fact, a superstar!
The English theologian C. S. Lewis once said, “There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations–these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit…”
Isn’t Susan Boyle’s performance just like life? We live our whole lives being told that we are ordinary, little more than intelligent animals. One day, though, all of us will stand before a judgment bar, just like Susan did. In that moment, perhaps we’ll realize just how valuable we really are. We’re not ordinary. We’re not common. We’re sons and daughters of God.
Of course, this analogy has its limitations. It puts Simon Cowell in the role of the Final Judge, which is very hard to swallow indeed! 🙂