Bubba was always bragging about whom he knew. One day his boss confronted Bubba and said, "Bubba, it's impossible for a person 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. You and your friend come on in. I was about to have lunch. Why don't you join me?"

The boss is somewhat skeptical still, in spite of the reception. So Bubba invited him to name someone else. The boss thought for a moment and said, "President Bush."

"Sure I know the Bushes. We're good friends." So off they went to Washington, D. C. As they were taking a tour of the White House, the President walked by and spotted Bubba.

"Bubba, long time, no see. I'm on my way to an important briefing, but why don't you two come along?"

The boss is amazed but still unconvinced, so Bubba told him to throw out another name. The boss really reaches and said, "How about the Pope?" Bubba said, "Sure, my folks are from Poland and we are old family friends with the Pope's family." So off they jet 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 this wasn't a good vantage point and wouldn't be able to make eye contact with the pope. 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 is thinking, "Sure you will." A half-hour later, here comes the Pope, and here comes Bubba. After awhile Bubba makes his way back downstairs and into Vatican Square only to find his boss passed out and the paramedics working on him.

Bubba leans over and asks, "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 adult life ministering to people, healing, teaching and instructing. He went to where the people were and was available and accessible.

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 was interested in helping people, so we should be interested in helping people. We should be willing to use our God-given resources to be a blessing to others. God has given us time, talents, influence, skills and gifts that we can use to meet the needs of others. One of the greatest gifts we can give is simply giving ourselves.

Tony Campolo tells about the time his mother called to tell him that Mrs. Kilpatrick died. She was the lady who lived up the street from him 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 saw that 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 said he was about to get up and leave, the woman turned around, touched his hand and asked, "Did you know him?"

Campolo asked, "What would you do in a situation like that? If you were the only one who came to the funeral of this grieving woman's husband, what would you say?" He stayed for the entire service, and even went to the cemetery.

When it was over, Campolo turned to the woman and said, "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."

The biggest blessing we can give is to simply be there when people need a friend.