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April 25, 2009
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=========================== TODAY'S ARTICLE ==========================
Simon's Mistaken Judgement, by Rubel Shelly
TV personality Simon Cowell and the Old Testament prophet Samuel may or
may not be related. But they have something in common. And before you
think I am being too unkind about their similar blunders, I will
quickly confess my own tendency to commit the same error of judgment.
Perhaps you remember Samuel's reaction to the various sons of Jacob who
were brought before him. Yahweh had told him Israel's next king would
be in the number, and Samuel thought he spotted him in Eliab -- a man
with commanding presence. But the Lord restrained Samuel from anointing
him.
Samuel had gone through the lot of them without a signal that a royal
person was in view. Ah, but there was one more. And when a young David
was standing before him, he may have thought his trip had been wasted.
Then the Lord signaled to Samuel that David was the one to anoint as
the nation's next leader. Not Eliab, but David. Not the tall,
commanding man; but the young, ruddy lad. Remember God's words to
Samuel:
Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected
him. The LORD does not look at the things human beings look at.
People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the
heart (1 Samuel 16:7 TNIV).
Simon Cowell is not only a judge on "American Idol," but also for a
sister English program called "Britain's Got Talent." He was
unimpressed with a frumpy and unattractive 47-year-old Scottish woman
who walked onstage. Her hair was gray, thin, and un-styled. She is
overweight. It turns out that she was the last of nine children, had
been deemed "slow" by her teachers, and had spent the bulk of her adult
life taking care of aged and sick parents.
Susan Boyle explained that her dream was to be a professional singer. A
studio audience alternately groaned or giggled at her naïve aspiration.
Everybody appeared ready to let her embarrass herself and leave the
stage -- so someone with real talent might emerge from the wings. Then
she must have made people who know music groan when she said she was
going to sing a famous piece from Les Miserables. Oh, you just knew it
was going to be a disaster!
May the rest of us be reminded again not to judge books by their
covers!
Then came the moment. This unremarkable and nondescript woman who has
never been married -- who says she has never even been kissed! --
opened her mouth to sing. And did she ever. Within the first few bars
of "I Dreamed a Dream," people who had laughed were either speechless
or on their feet to cheer! Simon Cowell was wide-eyed and enthralled.
Her performance is almost certain to guarantee the career and success
that have been her unlikely dream for all these years. Karaoke behind
her now, may she be a phenomenal success!
And may the rest of us be reminded again not to judge books by their
covers, not to be so dismissive of the dreams of our children, or so
prone to capitulate to the incredulity or jeers of others toward our
own aspirations.
If you are one of those who hasn't seen the video, please go to
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY. Watch. Listen. Feel the
lump in your throat and the goose bumps on your arms.
The next time you are tempted to judge by sight, let this be your
warning.
---------
(c) 2009 Used by permission. From Rubel Shelly <rshelly@rc.edu>'s
"FAX of Life" printed each Tuesday. See Faith Matters for
previous issues of the "FAX of Life."
RELATED LINKS:
* An Old Timer in His Service
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200510/20051020_oldtimer.html
* Instilling God's Dream in David's Heart
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200012/20001219_diary33.html
* Use It or Lose It
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200003/20000317_useit.html
* RubelShelly.com
http://www.rubelshelly.com/
This article can be found on the web at:
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200904/20090425_mistaken.html
=========================== FEATURED PRODUCT =========================
WHEN FAMILIES PRAY, by Cheri Fuller
Families need prayer. In Cheri Fuller's latest release she addresses
what so many parents express - the need to slow down and connect with
our God.
http://shopping.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/link?251
Find more great books, CDs and videos at the Heartlight store! With
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