The Secret to an Incredible Story

I want you to meet, Bob.

Bob Goff

He is the most incredible person and the most courageous man I have ever met.

The Need

Bob is a lawyer, and owns a successful law firm, which he still manages with his partners. But he was called to something else. Bob saw an enormous need in the world and decided to do something about.

He decided to personally take on the issue of human trafficking.

Through his organization, Restore International, he began to address the issue of human slavery through child prostitution in India. It may come as a surprise, but this problem exists. In some countries girls are sold into prostitution even as young as the age of 10.

Eventually he found himself in Uganda after hearing about injustices committed against kids there. Uganda is a beautiful country which has been torn apart through years of war that has finally ceased, leaving a mess to affect the people for much longer.

Bob was going so often and doing so much, he was made the high consul. An official diplomat.

The Boy who Walked Home

One day, Bob heard a story about a boy named Charlie. Many in Uganda believe in witch doctors and dark magic. The traditions teach that the genitals of a young boy taken through child sacrifice will bring them luck. In a country that has been devastated by war and poverty, luck is about the only thing some people can hope for.

Charlie became a victim of this tradition. He was abducted, mutilated, and left for dead in the bush by one of the most feared witch doctors in Uganda. But Charlie decided to not be afraid. He didn’t stay in the bush. He fought pain and severe blood loss and walked back home.

When Charlie didn’t die, he gave Bob something he needed. Evidence.

Bob decided to try the case. One of the rules of a culture with witch doctors is that you don’t mess with witch doctors. You don’t cross them. You don’t accuse them. You don’t interfere.

Bob decided to not be afraid. He interfered. Evidence in hand, he found a judge who decided to not be afraid either.

The man was given 50 years. Now Bob has a precedent. When I met him in Uganda he was hosting a luncheon for witch doctors to tell them that if they chose to kill any more children, He would put them in prison.

Love Does by Bob Goff

And this is only one of Bob’s stories. (If you want to read more, read Bob’s new book Love Does by clicking on it. This is an affiliate link.)

The Secret to Being Superhuman

It sounds like the stuff of a fairy tale. A work of fiction. We all know that real superheroes with real superpowers who do incredible things don’t really exist.

But Bob is real, and so are his stories. Where do you find the courage to take on an entrenched cultural practice? Where do you find the courage to imprison witch doctors?

Bob’s answer to all of this is simple. Do not fear and then Jesus shows up.

When Jesus shows up, incredible things happen. In this case the impossible. A boy lived. A witch doctor imprisoned. A precedent established. More lives saved.

It is one of the most frequent commands by Jesus. Forget all of the irrelevant stuff they teach you at church. Don’t smoke. Don’t cuss. Don’t see bad movies. Don’t have bad theology.

Maybe these “don’ts” help us, but spend your time focusing on something more important. Something Jesus commanded more than anything else. (Matthew 17:5-8 ESV)

Do not fear.

What Need Do You See?

What you are afraid of? Taxes? Failure? Not being comfortable? Critics? Witch doctors? Viruses? What people think of you? Death?

There is a need in this world that you recognize and people who need you to do the work to fix it. But fear is in our way. We come up with excuses and reasons why these things can’t be done. But the real reason is fear.

Imagine the good that would happen if we all stepped past fear and into the work.

What would you do if you weren’t afraid?

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