Day 25 - What About Bob?

Recently, our church began a 19 month construction project. Each week I notice something new has been built up, dug in, or torn down. We've also had to re-route walking traffic to a portion of our facility. This morning I left my office on a mission for a diet soda. Halfway there I realized "you can't get there from here anymore." @#$%^&*!!! (that's church-speak for "oh my, I must now choose a different route"). The problem was easily solved and soon a cool, refreshing drink was in hand.


On the way back, something caught my eye. We've not used simple signs to direct people around the construction area. Instead, our administrator chose to use blown up (enlarged...not ka-plu-ee), pixelated, life-sized, "Bob the Builder" sign-boards. These have been around for a few days, but I had not seen before what I saw today. Children from the daycare, as they passed "Bob," would wave to him, speak to him ("Hi Bob the Beul-dah"), and even hug him. This wasn't one or two children. This was the mob. The herd. The swarm. They all wanted a piece of Bob. And Bob was just a cardboard replica of the "real" thing. Cute is probably an over used term. But it applies here.

Besides the "Bob" moment, this was a day for study, writing, and talking to several individuals - a couple contemplating marriage, a single dad working out "life," and a friend who just needed someone to listen.

As the day ends, however, my thoughts go back to Bob and the children. A replica, however imperfect, that so represents the original that others are drawn to it. That passers-by want to be near it. That, just by its presence, changes the path people are walking and leaves them with a smile.

Hmmm. I can learn about following You by taking a detour and observing children with a life-sized, cut-out, cardboard replica of an imported kiddy cartoon character?

Surprise.