Bob and My Realization

The love of the Lord appears through my coworker, and surprises him. And me

What Bob and I Didn’t Realize

When my son was 13, he had an intestinal blockage and needed emergency surgery. Not an easy time for my wife and me.

A few years later, a kid I worked with found another job and gave notice. I informed his supervisor that I needed to speak to Skippy before he left on his final day. I let it be known that I would be very angry if Skippy left without seeing me.

At the end of the day, Skippy came into my office to say good-bye. I shook his hand; told him it was a pleasure working with him. He thanked me and said the same thing. Then, I clamped down and walked around my desk. I said, “Bob, you did something a couple years ago.”

Skippy, whose real name is Bob, got very worried, and started to apologize. I stopped him. “Bob, a couple years ago, my son had surgery. I pray you never go through what my wife and I did. But you were in front of my desk every single day. ‘How’s your son? How’s your son?’ Bob, my wife, and I needed that support. Badly. I know what some people say about you, Bob. I don’t care! You are a good man, Bob. Don’t you let anyone ever change you.”

By then, Bob was crying. He said, “You have no idea what that means to me. I mean it. From you, that means a lot. Thank you.” We had a good cry, and I never saw Bob again.

In Romans 12, Paul writes that we each have different gifts of the Spirit to use for the body of Christ. (v 6) Paul lists some, but not all, of the gifts. One he didn’t list, but was amply displayed that day, was encouragement. Neither of us recognized what we were saying. Bob’s encouragement during my son’s illness showed brightly, but he didn’t know what it meant to me. I knew going in that by explaining to Bob what a good man he was, and what a difference it made, would encourage him. What I didn’t know was what my opinion meant to him.

With two short sentences -- “How’s your son?”; “You’re a good man, Bob.” -- we fulfilled God’s mandate to encourage one another. Bob and I simply didn’t realize it at the time.