What About Bob?

This year at CYIA, I finally had a date for the banquet, which is basically a dress up dinner occasion just before the final service of the week.  My date’s name was Bob and before anyone gets all worked up about it, Bob was a ball of aluminum foil. 

He wasn’t always just a ball of foil though.  Last year Bob asked me to banquet but Bob was only a figment of my dear friend’s imagination.  This year, I told her that I’d only go with Bob if he came in shiny armor.  Well, Bob arrived on the scene Wednesday, as a soccer ball covered in aluminum foil with a marked on smile and official name tag.  He was really the talk of the dining hall for a while. 

But alas, that didn’t last long.  Before the heavenly feast, Bob was deflated back to just a crumbled up ball.  The ball's donor needed his soccer ball back so all I was left with was his armor.  After my date was deflated, I sat on the pavement for a long time and stared at this crumbled up shiny ball and I couldn't help but see me.

I have always wanted to be the good kid even though I knew when I could act like a bad one.  I was called teacher’s pet at school, goody two shoes at church and I did actually do my very best not to get in too much trouble at home and disappoint my parents.  I have always wanted to be the role model type…someone others can look up to.   And that said, it’s not exactly a bad thing to strive for, so don’t get me wrong.  I’m not one to try to take grace for granted (Romans 6:1).

But in order to be more of a role model, I began manufacturing works.  Now please know, there is no good in me and anything I have done right is solely by God’s power, strength, might and patience, but I really tried stealing the show.  Though good may have been produced, my motivation was sour and I was trying to do it on my own.

Rather than being a tree producing fruit because I’m rooted in the Source (John 15), I was instead attempting to hang up apple shaped ornaments on my tree screaming, “look at me!”  Like Bob, I looked shiny on the outside, but inside I was empty, full of hot air, and rather dull. 

Working with teens for a living, I wonder if this trend that has manifested in my life is something I force on them too:  that as long as you look good, say the right things, and know the right stuff, then everything is going to be ok...that you can “fake it til you make it” and all that matters is that others think highly of you.

But what if that leads to Bob’s fate…..that when it comes time for the final Banquet, all that is left is a heap of shiny works but no soul to be found?

Until next time,

In Christ,

Joy