Read: 1 Samuel 16:6-13
In a world looking for the next big sensation, Susan Boyle became an instant star!
Susan Boyle – a singer from Scotland, achieved instant fame after she appeared on Britain’s Britain’s Got Talent television show.
Her singing of “I Dreamed a Dream” from “Les Miserables” revealed her incredible singing ability. Both the live audience and the show’s judges were amazed.
One reason for their amazement was that she did not look very attractive or professionally ‘packaged’. She did not ‘look’ like a star with young smooth skin and ‘sexy’ appeal usually preferred by professional star searchers. While the outward looks did not make Susan appealing to her audience, the inner richness of her voice certainly did so. The number of people tuning in to the internet and listening to Susan Boyle broke an on-line record.
As I looked at the rapid rise of Susan Boyle to fame, lessons emerge to me that are relevant to each of our lives. Lesson one is to reject the idea of judging someone only on the basis of external factors. Never focus exclusively on making your body look good and neglect your inner soul and character. This was one time when viewers were motivated to focus on the inner talent of a person rather than her body.
A second lesson is that we need to slow down and listen to a person’s heart rather than glancing at the person solely for entertainment purposes. Unlike entertainment audiences, God ought to be our guide for understanding and determining the value of other people.
The prophet Samuel was looking for the man who would serve as God’s choice for Israel’s king. How would he know?
“When they arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, ‘Surely, this is the Lord’s anointed.’ But the Lord said, ‘Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him.’ The Lord doesn’t make decisions the way you do! People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at a person’s thoughts and intentions (or heart).” 1 Samuel 16:6-7, NLT
Susan Boyle’s experiences should motivate us to listen to the hearts and seek to understand the real inner character of others. See them not just for their looks or even their talent. See and treat them as persons created by God and in His image. Then, pray that they may see the pure unchanging character of Jesus in and through you. It is the calling of God on a persons life that can make all the difference (1 Samuel 16:12).
Whenever you are choosing a person for any role, task or ministry, choose not superficially on outward looks but on inner character and motivations. Make this the focus for your own personal growth and life contribution.
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