Be The Bible That People Can Read On.

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 fouryearsof college. He is brilliant. Kind of esoteric and very, very bright. Hebecame a Christian while attending college.

Across the street from the campus is a well-dressed, very conservativechurch. They want to develop a ministry to the students, but are not surehow to go about it. One day Bill decides to go there. He walks in with noshoes, jeans, his T-shirt, and wild hair. The servicehas 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 nowpeople are really looking a bit uncomfortable, but no one says anything.Bill gets closer and closer and closer to the pulpit and, when he realizesthere are no seats, he just squats down right on the carpet. (Althoughperfectly acceptable behavior at a college fellowship, trust me, this hadnever happened before in this church).

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 thechurch, a deacon is slowly making his way toward Bill. Now the deacon is inhis eighties, has silver-gray hair, and a three-piece suit. A godlyman, very elegant, very dignified, very courtly. He walks with a cane and,as he starts walking toward this boy, everyone is saying to them-selves that you can't blame him for what he's going to do. How can youexpect a man of his age and of his background to understandsome college kid on the floor? It takes a long time for the man to reach theboy. The church is utterly silent except for the clicking of the man'scane.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 hasto 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 andworships 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 havejust seen, you will never forget. Be careful how you live. You may be theonly Bible some people will ever read."

-Author Unknown