“I see myself in the mirror. I wanna love the person looking back at me.”
On January 6, 2020, I was awestruck by 13-yr-old Angelina Jordan singing Bohemian Rhapsody on America’s Got Talent (AGT). In addition to her stunning voice, she displayed poise and confidence well beyond her years, earning the coveted Golden Buzzer from Heidi Klum. Since AGT, I discovered more remarkable things about this young talent.
She won AGT Norway when she was 7-yrs-old, gave her shoes away to a 6 yr-old-girl who had no shoes, and pledged to sing barefoot until every child has shoes. She plays several instruments, writes her own songs, and now at 16, she has the attributes of a fashion model.
The quote above is from 7th Heaven, a song written and recorded by Angelina when she was 15. The song is about living with hope amid disappointments, and that line clearly speaks to an underlying issue. Knowing all that this rising star has going for her, I cannot imagine what she could be struggling with. I see two possibilities. First, if she speaks of herself, it affirms that we can never really know a person from their outward persona. Second, suppose the lyric is intended to connect with her audience. In that case, she is striking a chord with a large segment of people who internally struggle with issues. Both apply to this blog series.
Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well in John 4 is one of the most intriguing stories in the Bible. What pain and struggle might someone who had been married five times be carrying? What hope could an outcast have for a better life? How can an unfulfilled life find peace? I envision this woman saying, “I see myself in the mirror. I wanna love the person looking back at me.”
Unquestionably, this is a story of redemption that contains many nuances and subthemes such as self-worth, rejection and acceptance, guilt and shame, racism, salvation, and more. This encounter happened over 2000 years ago, but these are issues that many of us deal with today. You may be carrying unnecessary burdens because you struggle with your past or believe lies about yourself that are holding you down. But there is hope for change. An encounter with Jesus changed this woman’s life; He can change yours and mine. 7th Heaven concludes with these words,
Life should be
Life should be
Lived with hope!
Stop and Consider . . .
Next: Part 1, A Divine Appointment
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