his jeans, and no shoes.
This was literally his wardrobe for his entire four years of
college. He is brilliant, kind of eccentric and very, very
bright. He became a Christian while attending college.
Across the street from the campus is a well dressed, very
conservative church. They want to develop a ministry
to the students, but are not sure how to go about it.
One day Bill decides to go there. He walks in with no shoes, jeans,
his T-shirt, and wild hair.
The service has already started and so Bill starts down the aisle
looking for a seat. The church is completely
packed and he can't find a seat. By now, people are really looking
a bit uncomfortable, but no one says anything.
Bill gets closer and closer and closer to the pulpit, and when he
realizes there are no seats, he just squats down
right on the carpet.
(Although perfectly acceptable behavior at a college fellowship,
trust me, this had never happened in this church
before!)
By now the people are really uptight, and the tension in the air is
thick. About this time, the minister realizes that
from way at the back of the church, a deacon is slowly making his
way toward Bill. Now the deacon is in his
eighties, and has silver-gray hair, and wears a three-piece suit.
He is a godly man, very elegant, very dignified &
very courtly. He walks with a cane and, as he starts walking toward
this boy, everyone is saying to themselves
that you can't blame him for what he's going to do. How can you
expect a man of his age and of his background
to understand some college kid on the floor?
It takes a long time for the man to reach the boy. The church is
utterly silent except for the clicking of the man's
cane. All eyes are focused on him. You can't even hear anyone
breathing. The minister can't even preach the
sermon until the deacon does what he has to do. And now they see
this elderly man drop his cane on the floor.
With great difficulty, he lowers himself and sits down next to Bill
and worships with him so he won't be alone.
Everyone chokes up with emotion. When the minister gains control,
he says, "What I'm about to preach, you will
never remember. What you have just seen, you will never forget."
Be careful how you live. You may be the only 'Bible' some people
will ever read.
I asked the Lord to bless you as I prayed for you today, To guide
you and protect you as you go along your
way. His love is always with you, His promises are true, and when
we give Him all our cares, you know He will
see us through.
