A True Story: Bobby and the Bible

With six daughters, I knew that at some point, young men would start making their way to our house.

In case you're wondering, I welcomed all the guys to my home. 

A few never got a second invitation. (That's called "Fathering.")

Most did.

Bobby was one of my favorites. We knew and loved his parents too. Sweet people who love and follow Jesus.

When Bobby started to take a shine to one of my daughters, I welcomed him to our home and lunch. It was over lunch when I asked him, "How's your walk with Jesus, Bobby?"

He smiled a winsome smile and said with a certain amount of confidence, "My walk with Jesus is great."

I said, "That's great. What are you reading in the Bible these days?"

Bobby, still smiling said, "I don't read the Bible."

I smiled and kindly said, "Bobby, your walk with God stinks. You can't a have a great walk with God if you're not reading and studying Scripture to know and love God. I'll tell you what, whenever you want to come over to my house to see my daughter, let's you and me plan on getting into the Bible together for at least a few minutes. Cool?" 

"Okay, Mr. Allison," he said, still smiling.

But I wondered if that would be the end of Bobby's desire to eat another lunch with me and my family.  I doubted we'd see him again in our home.

The next day, I was busy working on a sermon and the doorbell rang. You'd think with eight people in the house someone would answer the door. Nope. The door bell just kept ringing. Frustrated, I walked to the door—and before I opened the door I looked out the side window. There was Bobby at the door. Hmmm. Well, I did say he was welcome to come over again. I just didn't think it would be the next day.

I opened the door and said, "Come on in Bobby" and I turned around and  I yelled up the stairs to my daughter, "Bobby's here!" That's when I felt a little tap on my shoulder. I turned around and Bobby looked straight into my eyes and said, "I'm not here for her." Then he showed me his Bible in hand, and he said, "I'm here to read and study the Bible with you."

That's the day Bobby won my heart. 

However, he never really did win my daughter's heart. 

He still has mine—in a manly, biblical way.

Are you a Bobby? (Meaning, someone who thinks they can have a great relation with God without cracking open a Bible?) If so...

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