Bubba was always bragging about people he knew. One day his boss confronted Bubba and said, “Bubba, it’s impossible for someone to know all the people you claim to know.”
Bubba said, “Well, name someone, anyone.”
The boss wanted to prove his point, so he said, “How about Tom Cruise?”
Bubba said, “Oh, yes, Tom and I know each other well.”
The boss called his bluff and said, “All right then, let’s fly to California so you can prove it.” So they flew to Hollywood. Bubba drove the rental car directly to Tom Cruise’s house and knocked on the door. Cruise came to the door and his face lit up.
“Bubba, what a surprise. Come on in. I was about to have lunch. Why don’t you join me?”
The boss was amazed, but still skeptical. So Bubba invited him to name someone else. The boss thought for a moment and said, “President Obama.”
“Sure I know the Obamas. We’re good friends.” So off they went to Washington, D. C. As they toured the White House, the President walked by and spotted Bubba.
“Hey, Bubba, long time, no see. I’m on my way to an important briefing, but why don’t you come along?”
The boss was still unconvinced, so Bubba told him to throw out another name. The boss really reached and said, “How about the Pope?” Bubba said, “Sure, we are old family friends with the Pope’s family.” So off they went to the Vatican.
As they were standing in Vatican Square, with 100,000 other people, waiting for the Pope to come out on the balcony, Bubba realized that the Pope would never spot him. So Bubba told his boss that he knew the palace guards and that he would ask for a pass inside. He told his boss to wait right there and he would come out on the balcony with the Pope.
The boss thought, “Sure you will.” Half-hour later, here came the Pope, and out came Bubba. After awhile Bubba made his way back downstairs and into Vatican Square only to find his boss passed out and the paramedics working on him.
Bubba leaned over and asked, “What happened?”
The boss finally said, “I was just fine, but then you and the Pope walked out and the guy behind me said, ‘Who is that guy with the funny hat standing next to Bubba?’”
It’s important to know people because people are important. People were important to Jesus. He spent His ministry caring for others, healing, teaching and instructing. He loved people.
Matthew 9:35-36 records, “Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion on them because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.”
Jesus did not see a crowd. He saw individuals who had needs, and His heart went out to them. Since people were important to Jesus, people should be important to us. Are we sincerely interested in others? Are we willing to use our God-given resources to be a blessing to others? One of the greatest gifts we can give is simply ourselves.
Tony Campolo tells about the time his mother called to tell him that Mrs. Kilpatrick died. She lived up the street when he was growing up. He planned to attend the funeral, but on the day of the funeral he was running late. He rushed through the door, sat down and then realized he was the only person there except for one little lady in front of him. Then he looked in the casket and suddenly realized that the man inside the coffin was not Mrs. Kilpatrick. He was in the wrong chapel with the wrong person. Campolo was about to leave when the woman turned around and asked, “Did you know him?”
Campolo asked, “What would you do in a situation like that?” He stayed for the entire service, and even went to the cemetery.
When it was over, Campolo told the grieving woman, “I have to be honest with you. I really didn’t know your husband.”
The lady reached out for his hand and gripped it tightly, and said, “That doesn’t matter. You’ll never know what your being here meant to me.”
People matter to God, so people should matter to us, also.
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[Dr. David L. Chancey is pastor, McDonough Road Baptist Church, Fayetteville, Georgia. The church family invites you to join them for Bible study at 9:45 a.m. and worship at 10:55 a.m. Visit them on the web at www.mcdonoughroad.org, and “Like” them on Facebook.]
