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 esoteric 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 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, has silver-gray hair, a
three-piece suit, and a pocket watch. 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: "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 people
are thinking, 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."
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