Are you a big surprise?

Have you let someone mock you and steal your dream?

Our family crowed [sorry, that’s a typo.  Our family didn’t crow around the computer — we crowded; c-r-o-w-d-e-d]around the computer to view a YouTube video that was suggested to us.  So we waited for the video clip to upload….

When she walked on the stage of “Britain’s Got Talent” it was obvious what the audience thought of the contestant, Susan Boyle.  Standing there, smiling and obviously pleased to be there, she was — to worldly eyes —  not stylish, attractive, seductive or of much interest — and certainly not a star.  And it’s shocking, isn’t it, how much stock the world puts in worldliness or in people who *seem* to have it all together  — or how powerful the world is in defining worth.   So, here she was — engaging — but from audience reactions, apparently odd — unprofessional and awkward.  Additionally, she didn’t appear to have talent except whatever talent it took to make it to that mark on the stage.

Susan Boyle was asked by one of the judges, Simon Cowell, “Okay, what’s the dream?” She answered, “I’m trying to be a professional singer.” And at that, the camera, panning the audience, stopped on a young girl wearing a blue blouse — gasping and crossing her arms, rolling her heavily black-lined eyes — obviously thinking this next contestant was a joke.  I thought, how pitiful that we are often derailed in life by small people who are so filled with their own self importance and ridicule of others — and yet we, for whatever reason, believe or fall prey to their mockings or belittling.   After answering the “What’s the dream” question, Susan Boyle was asked, “And why hasn’t it worked out so far, Susan?”  She answered,  “Well, I’ve never been given a chance before, but here’s where I figure it will change.”  And for a moment the mocking and  preconceptions rippled through the audience — but the moment she began to sing, stunned audience was transformed.

I, at once, admired her obvious eager desire and tenacity.  I am not a television viewer and I don’t know and don’t follow talent programs or personalities.  I’m not a follower of celebrities and had to look up the program and names of the judges (Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, and Piers Morgan); and, by the way, even mentioning this program might be misconstrued as an endorsement — I assure you: it is not.  But I am attempting to make a point — and it is this:  small people steal big dreams.  I am reminded once again — and it’s hit me profoundly — to not be careless with other people’s dreams and to not let others be careless with mine.

I was thinking about this through the evening and this morning.  And I was considering the number of times — and lengths of time — I have been derailed by others and what they thought — or, more accurately, what I think they thought — because, in reality, I know people don’t think as much about us as we think they do.  And… sadly, we often ignore or discount those who think highly of us (because we allow ourselves to be squashed by, and dwell on, those who don’t care much about us).

I think of the times I’ve felt like a Susan Boyle with big dreams… and then I am derailed as I let my eyes fall on an ignorant girl rolling her eyes back at me with disgust at my pitiful hopes. I hate that I am inhibited by fear of foolishness or ineptitude.  I think of situations where I’ve been chided or mocked through the years for things I do or choices I’ve made — and occasionally have allowed my mind to be overrun with negative thoughts.  The times I’ve not taken every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. (2Cor10.5)  I then feel stupid and small (or too poor or too fat or too old or too ignorant or whatever) and then I’m sort of paralyzed by those negative thoughts and don’t carry out what I know I ought to be doing.In those times I forget what my Heavenly Father thinks of me — how He loves and cares for me.

In those times I forget what He has created me to be and do.
In those times I forget (or dismiss) how much my husband loves and cares for me.
In those times I forget the promises of God and His glory and plans.

I think there are lots of us who occasionally allow the enemy’s mocking to squash our hopes and cloud our days.  I pray from here on out… we’ll just be a big surprise to the watching world.  To God’s glory.

[I need an editor]