A Gospel Reminder From Susan Boyle
Susan Boyle has become an internet phenomenon. Her appearance on Britain’s Got Talent has been viewed millions of times and been e-mailed, twittered band blogged about ad nauseum. So much so that I’m not even going to bother posting the video of her appearance. But why write another blog about this internet superstar? I can’t get it out of my mind. The whole scenario actually troubles me quite a bit to be honest.
I love the fact that a “regular person” can be shown to have talent. I love the fact that the barrier between “normal” and “celebrity” are becoming increasingly blurred. However, I do not love why we love Susan Boyle. What I mean is this: we love Susan Boyle because the “underdog” came through unexpectedly victorious. The judges themselves said that her performance was a surprise and that everyone had been against her before she sang. But why was she the underdog to begin with? Why didn’t anyone expect anything impressive from her? This is what troubles me.
Susan Boyle reminds me just how radical the Gospel is. Susan Boyle convicts me that I tend to think the worst of people rather than the best. Susan Boyle reminds me that, unlike love, I rarely hope or believe all things (1 Corinthians 13:7). Susan Boyle reminds me that, like the judges, I have to be wowed into respecting someone instead of defaulting to love and appreciation for others. Susan Boyle reminds me of just how shallow I can be when it comes to other people.
I don’t know Susan Boyle. I don’t know her motives for even going on the show. She said that she just wants to be a professional singer. Maybe that’s all there is to it or maybe there’s the thirst for fame and recognition that drives so many of us. Whatever Susan Boyle’s motives, her 15 minutes in the spotlight (maybe there will be more, maybe not) has prodded me once again to see life through the lens of the Gospel rather than, as we so often do, judging people until they prove worthy of our respect.
I, too, have found it a fantastic failure of our culture to be so taken by surprise by her talent. It has left me to wonder how much or how little some may expect from me, or perhaps of my children, based on superficial, preconceived notions of what looks “most likely to succeed” in our culture. It has troubled me, even more, that I have whole-heartedly shared in this same reaction. I have landed at the notion that perhaps it is not merely born out of our low and unlovely expectations of others, but maybe born out of the hope that any one of might still surprise somebody, or even everybody, with something excellent, yet undiscovered, unappreciated, yea, even unbelievable… The hope that inspires us to be and do something extraordinary for God’s glory. He is the source of all things excellent, afterall, and we are created in His image for His glory! It may be vanity; it may be holy. Could it be both the worst of us and the best of us all at once? Something to think about, anyway…
I had the opposite reaction Suzanne. I was disappointed that we’re surprised an “ugly” person can have any talent and create beauty. Thankfully your reaction is tempering that. Thank you.
thanks for this. I was deeply moved watching that video of her when she first came out and auditioned. I heard about it online and sought it out to watch for myself. Completely caught me off guard. I just sat there and was moved to tears by the beauty of Susan’s voice.
I think we live in dark times and it is a gift to be reminded of beauty. The simple joy in her voice and the whole thing just sort of swept me up for a few minutes.
Who knows if it was “planned” or “orchestrated” to come off the way it did– i think the whole thing was genuine but who knows. (have you heard about the people saying Simon Cowell planned it?)