Bobby
Robby is an African-American man who has lived in Birmingham all his life. I could only guess that he is in his fifties. I first noticed Robby as I asked the men at the meeting for prayer requests. Robby spoke up, and I struggled to make out what he was saying. Whether it is by drug use or mental and physical issues, Robby does not strike you as a well-educated man. Robby’s prayer requests go something like this:
“I would like to pray for all the children who are hungry, and also for the single mothers who are poor, and all those who are hungry and homeless, and for the troops overseas.” I think he will lift up these prayer requests every time we ask. And they are indeed precious, from a man who has his own struggles.
Robby has kidney failure and has to go to dialysis three or four times a week for four hours. The procedure is grueling as he holds out for the prospect of a kidney transplant. Still, he teaches us how one can suffer through pain and trial while still remaining fixed on Christ. And not only that, Robby teaches us how to remain focused on others even while enduring pain ourselves.
The issue of preaching came up one night as we sat at the table with Robby and some others. One man began to say to us how much he appreciated us coming down to the mission to preach. He said that he would always come away with some nugget when preachers would come, and he just wanted to encourage us with the impact we were having—and we were encouraged.
Just then, Robby spoke up. Like I said before, Robby does not strike you as an educated man, but he seems filled with some wisdom—wisdom I find that was instilled in him by his loving mother. He said slowly, with me only able to make out three out of four words, “You two preachers are alright. My momma used to tell me, ‘You know a good preacher when he goes verse by verse through the Bible. You don’t trust the ones who just speak their own mind.’”
I think if there were anyone who I was supposed to preach down to, it would have been Robby. But Robby, and the other men, need to hear the imperishable Word of God. I am glad that I was not found wanting (completely) in this task in the life of Robby.
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