This week I have asked a close friend and ally of mine to share his blog with all of us. Bob came to our most recent retreat in Israel with Uncommon Spiritual retreats. During the 10 days that he was here I was privileged enough to experience his heart and see it function in his life. I hope you enjoy this wonderful and insightful blog as much as I did. Please make sure you watch the above video before reading the blog.
The video is of Susan Boyle auditioning in 2009 on Britain’s Got Talent with the song “I Dreamed a Dream” from the musical Les Miserables. I know that in one way, this clip is almost like The Ugly Duckling or Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer – okay, I’ll applaud you now that we see what you can do for me. I realize that perspective is there, yes.
But there’s another perspective buried in here too. Think of this performance in epic terms. Think of this metaphorically – a metaphor of life, of your life, of my life, of the world at war that we live in.
Because there is another perspective that works here as well – what I call the Epic perspective – which is what I’ve outlined in the notes below.
I. The Earthly Perspective [from 0:00 to about 1:11]
A. Reaction of skeptics: 0:45 to 0:47; 0:56 to 0:57
1. This is the reaction of the earthly perspective – dismissal, skepticism, scorn, doubt, even accusations.
2. These skeptics are the unregenerate witnesses in our lives – classmates, siblings, parents, friends, teachers, relatives, coaches – those who don’t look at or live from the heart, who don’t know the story of the great battle we live in, who don’t know know that there’s a glory and a strength in every person.
3. The audience members are smirking and laughing at this person on stage – totally exposed and alone – who is about to reveal some true depth about herself – about her real self – her real heart – in front of everyone.
B. Reaction of earthly judges: 0:57 to 1:04
1. These are the ones whose approval we too often seek – the ones we place on the seat of judgment – the ones we think – incorrectly – have an accurate assessment of our identity and of who we really are.
2. In most ways, these judges are not that different from the skeptics – doubtful, dismissive, scornful, derisive.
3. You can see Pierz (sp?) – the guy judge on the far left – almost laughing and smirking just as she is about to begin her performance. The female judge Amanda is very polite – but look at her face – she’s also politely skeptical as Susan is about to begin. Simon on the right looks like he’s laying in the weeds ready to duck – or pounce.
C. Reaction of the earthly audience
Here we see the skeptics, the accusers, the cynics, the nay-sayers, the critics – for whom we are never good enough, casting their arrows at us, muttering their scorn and doubt.
II. The Heavenly Perspective [from about 1:11 on]
Note well: This is the exact same crowd, the exact same group of judges, yes. But change your thinking. Change your perspective. View this as a metaphor. See this with your heart. There’s something going on here in why this video is so moving. It’s not merely that Susan Boyle has won them over – it’s that the visible and dramatic change that occurs is evocative and symbolic of the difference of the earthly vs the heavenly, the human vs the divine, unregenerate vs regenerate, the Gospel of never-good-enough vs the Gospel of the heart and Jesus-is-my-good-enough-ness.
A. Reaction of heavenly judges: 1:25 to ca.2:00 or so
1. These judges – a panel of three – believe in us, they delight in us, they enjoy seeing our strength being displayed in its fullness.
2. They wait patiently while we perform; they relish in the performance itself; they relish in us.
3. They applaud us and are happy for us.
B. Reaction of the audience: various places after 1:17 and at 4:42 to 4:47 or so
1. They are the great cloud of witnesses who have gone on before us.
2. They know the slings and arrows that attack the heart.
3. They also delight in us – they delight in seeing strength displayed in its fullness.
C. Comments on the performer
1. Watch the segment from 1:49 to 1:51. Here, she is completely by herself, utterly exposed in front of the world, in front of the judges, in front of the angels of heaven, in front of the great cloud of witnesses.
2. She is performing at this point primarily for the judges – for the Audience of Three.
3. She steps fully into her strength, and the heavenly, heart-based realm embraces and affirms her.
D. Foreshadowing and archetype: you will have such a performance –
1. You will be able to display your strength – those very things you were created to do…
2. …in front of a Panel of Three…
3. …with the Ultimate Judges who delight in you, are happy for you, are proud of you, whose faces glow with delight & pride…
4. …in front of a cloud of witnesses with whom you belong, who are on your side, who accept and affirm you, who may have never known the gifts, the strengths, the talents you were given.
This performance by Susan Boyle – her display of her strength – is what each one of us is going to do one day when we appear before the throne and have our true selves revealed – and when we revel in our true selves – in front of the Triune Creator, who will delight in who we are and in the gifts and strengths and talents given to us.
This is also what we are called to do in this life as well – to perform in this world but not for this world – to perform in this world for the Audience of Three.
Bob Hazen
