The Gift of Love

Bob was a man who has made a lasting impression on my life. I didn’t get to know him long enough; and I didn’t get to know him well enough. He passed away several years ago. I guess I’m thinking about Bob because last week would have been his birthday, and in honor of that each of our ushers at church wore a yellow rose in their lapel last Sunday.

When I started back to church after a long, self-imposed hiatus I came dragging a load of ugly baggage. Even though it was a heavy burden, I couldn’t relinquish the familiar weight. I was afraid of the “nakedness” I would feel if I didn’t have my insecurities to wrap around myself.

After I had been attending on Sunday mornings for a while I began to take Alex to the Wednesday night meal. Every week Bob was outside of the kitchen helping wipe down trays. I can just picture him, a tall and thin man, with a big grin on his face, a head of white hair, and wearing an apron with a dish towel in one hand and a tray in the other. I never saw him when he wasn’t smiling. He knew my name, and who I was right away, and acted as if we had been friends for years. Bob never let me get away with keeping my head down and trying not to be noticed. He always did notice. He never let a chance go by to compliment me, to let me know he was glad I was there; and he always made me feel special.

I truly thought Bob knew what the previous years of my life had been like and he was either trying making up for it, or trying to prove to me that I was a person worthy of kindness. Besides just being wonderful, I loved Bob for making me believe that I was special.

After Bob’s death as we recalled memories of him I was shocked to learn that Bob hadn’t see me as an outcast needing his confirmation. In those last years of his life as he was building up my self esteem I never even noticed he treated everyone the same way, making each person he came in contact with felt “special.” What a magnificent gift he had for loving each person he came in contact with without judgment and with his whole heart. I am honored to have known him and thank God for the privilege.

1 John 4:7 (NIV) Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.