So you may or may not know I love 'Glee'. I am not ashamed of this and actually think this it is rather cool (This sentence probably ruins any degree of coolness I may have, if not, then the word coolness certainly does). What I am rather embarrassed about however is a secret love of the 'X Factor'. Sure it's produced and manipulated, I'm not stupid enough to believe they filmed them in their bedrooms getting ready BEFORE the auditions. But I think it's great TV, great singers, terrible singers with drama and rudeness as the filling. TV Gold I say as do millions of viewers. Now I recognise that you may be ready to press that little cross in the corner of your window right now so I'll try to save it.....
This Saturday just gone, a young lady, sporting some leggings, an Adidas plain tracksuit top and from Fife took to the stage. Her name was Jade and she was not one of the glammed up models who 'think' they can sing, nor was she a total sob story. She was normal, she had a past (We all do) and she was looking to the future. She had a normal loving family and friends back stage and a normal persona (none of this wacky in your face stuff). And she sang, and man did she sing. The song was the emotive 'someone like you' by Adele, but it wasn't the song that was the deal breaker but her voice, the emotion and connection the voice made. The room exploded with feeling and applause. As I sat their on my corner sofa watching trashy TV, Gary Barlow opened his lips and God spoke....
Woahhh lets be clear here I am not saying Gary Barlow is God, put away the pitchforks and flaming torches and let me explain. Mr Barlow uttered the words "...that is a God given Talent, you were born to sing...". Immediately I heard something different to probably many in the UK. This throwaway comment that is said to countless people without really thinking about what is being said became a weight on me and got me thinking. The programme asks 'Have you got the X Factor?' My question became 'Who gave her the X Factor?'. If there are people who were born to sing, who have natural talent, whether on the football pitch, on the stage or in the church where does that come from?
I got a sense, as I watched this normal girl that seemingly deserved a break, that God was smiling, that God was enjoying the moment as much as we were. I was not filled with a distaste that Jade was not using her voice for worship but an appreciation that this gift of music given to Jade was being enjoyed and shared. This, if I'm honest, is a difficult one for me. I believe in Spiritual Gifts given to those who follow Christ, I believe God wants to see us use our gifts to further his Kingdom and I'm not sure whether the X Factor qualifies as extending God's Kingdom. But I cannot shake this sense that in the room after Jade had sung, and in millions of homes around the UK, there was something good, something great and that that something came from God.
I believe every person is given gifts (not spiritual gifts necessarily), that we are all bestowed with things to bless and make this world a better place, a more enjoyable, joyful, amazing place. Whether that be Rooney's right peg, John Mayers awesome guitar fingers, Eisnstein's brains or a young ladies voice from Fife. You get the gist of what I'm saying so tell me what do you think? Who really has the X factor??
No comments:
Post a Comment