His Name Is Bill
Posted by: tz8cy5 <tz8cy5@...>
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 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, 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.