Underdog story

The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit. - Proverbs 15:4

You've got remarkable, world-class talent hidden inside. You've even paid your own way to take lessons from the world masters, and they thought you weren't bad. But years of people bullying you when you were younger, and an unfortunately timed accident a few years ago derailed your dreams of doing what you thought you were created to do... and now you're stuck selling cell phones while wrestling to muster up the confidence to give your dream one more shot.

Then you see an opportunity - an open audition for your country's popular televised talent show. You're scared witless... but something compels you to pay the registration fee and show up to your audition in front of 2000 people, a national audience, a worldwide internet audience, and 3 of the most well-known talent scouts in the world.

This is the story of Paul Potts.




As the winner of this year's "Britain's Got Talent" competition, I think this exemplifies the Biblical principle of how an encouraging word can give someone the confidence to proceed (the judge's feedback), contrasted against how discouraging words can crush (the bullying from earlier in life). Watching the first video, you can clearly tell that the judges have low expectations of Paul - I'm guessing Simon was having William Hung flashbacks. What I love though, is how over the course of the performance, you see their faces change from "critic mode" to stunned to just simply enjoying the moment. Moments like that in life are few and far between.

Makes me wonder... how many great talents have been squelched because of people who belittled them, such as parents or others? And who are the people in my life that I can help blossom through an encouraging word or two?

I'll admit, I think of myself as a crusty old fart, but this story made me well up... once. Watch it... it can put a little spring in your step for a while.