The Living Bible
His name is
Bill. He has
wild hair, wears
a T-shirt with
holes in it,
jeans, and no
shoes. This was
literally his
wardrobe for his
entire four
years of
college.
He is brilliant.
Kind of profound
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.
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, has
silver-gray
hair, and a
three-piece
suit.. 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!"