Saturday Night with Bob

by Katie Harding on November 7, 2022

What amazed me most about Bob Goff Saturday night, other than his height, was how incredibly kind he was — to everyone. Not just to those in the stories he shared, but those in the room standing right in front of him. He signed books and smiled for pictures, but he also listened to stories and offered encouraging words. He seriously wanted to spend time getting to know people.

If Bob lived on my street I’m sure everyone would know Bob because Bob sees people. He would probably offer cookies to the kids, help neighbors carry groceries up their stairs, especially the elderly, and be the first one to offer assistance to those without a job. Bob doesn’t make the visible invisible by looking the other way. Instead, he engages them and loves the people Jesus loves.

And Bob shares how easy it is for us to do likewise. We are surrounded by people — in our homes, offices, and neighborhoods. In our grocery stores, churches, and schools. It doesn’t take a lot of effort to see people and get to know them. A friend once told me that she started spending time with another woman on her street, offering care and conversation. One day the woman said to my friend, “I feel like I’m growing closer to God, just by being with you.” The woman was experiencing Jesus through my friend.

“The woman was experiencing Jesus through my friend.”

Often without saying a word, our lives will speak volumes about Jesus — just by seeing people and caring for them. Saturday night, Bob told us stories about caring for the sick, visiting those in jail, and coming alongside those who are hurting, because, as Bob frequently says, “That’s what Love does.”