The Bonus

A few weeks ago I was Whatsapp’ing with a longtime Kenyan friend of ours, John. Every fall we re-discuss how his birthday, his daughter’s birthday and my birthday all happen in early October. When we first met John, he was a tall, gangly young guy, not even married yet. We barely paid any attention to him in the training he was in, but as the years have unfolded he has become not only a close “family friend,” but proven himself to be “a man after God’s own heart” in every possible way. He is highly entertaining with a giggle that would make anyone laugh, and a very passionate, focused and fruitful disciplemaker.

In our texting I was asking John how old he was this year, to which he answered 35. Surprising to me, since I still think of him as around 25. I then asked him how old Melissa, his first-born, is now, to which he answered 7.

Then I volunteered that I was 68 this year and very grateful to get to do what we do. He replied, “Ah, so you really are getting the bonus!”

No doubt! I truly am getting the bonus!