Bob

Yesterday at the mall I met Bob. Bob is a man in his late 50's, slender, very high pitched voice, a bit eccentric, yet very bright. We struck up a conversation while I was looking at a pair of sunglasses. For at least ten minutes Bob sipped on his coffee and spoke about his prescription glasses: what kind of frame they had, the lenses, where he got them, etc... While he was speaking I was nodding my head, smiling, and interjecting a comment here and there. Somehow the conversation changed to investing in pharmaceutical companies: mergers, stocks, children's tylenol recalls, etc... I'm still nodding, smiling, and offering a comment here and there.

Bob was loving it, I don't think a lot of people stop very long to listen to him. I was set to listen as long as he wanted to talk; I had nowhere to go so I could listen as long as he wanted to chat. There wasn't a spiritual conversation or an invitation to come to church; just one person showing kindness to another. Once Bob had finished talking he smiled real big, held out his hand for me to shake, and he thanked me for spending some time with him.

I pray that I meet Bob again sometime in the mall, so that I can be a listening ear, a smiling face; and perhaps a friendship can develop and I can share with him of my love for God.

*The Branches Community Church core value #2 "We embrace love – we will love people whether they ever to chose to love God."