"THE ONLY BIBLE SOME PEOPLE WILL EVER READ”

A T-shirt with holes in it, jeans and no shoes… This was literally Bill’s wardrobe for his entire four years of college. He was brilliant; kind of esoteric and very, very, bright. He became a Christian while attending college.

Across the street from this campus was a well dressed, very conservative church. They wanted to develop a ministry for the students but was not sure how to go about it. One day Bill decided to go to this church. He walked in with no shoes, jeans, his warn T-shirt, and wild hair. The service had already started and so Bill started down the aisle looking for a seat. The church was completely packed that day. Bill could not find a seat anywhere. By now, people are really looking a bit uncomfortable, but no one says anything. Bill got closer and closer and closer to the pulpit, and when he realized there were no seats, he just squatted down right there on the carpet. By then the people of the church were really uptight, and the tension in the air was thick.

About this time, the minister realizes that from way at the back of the church, a deacon was slowly making his way toward Bill. Now the deacon was in his eighties, had silver-gray hair, and was wearing a three piece suit. He was a Godly man, very elegant, very dignified, very courtly. He walked with a cane. As he started walking toward this boy, everyone was saying to themselves that you could not blame him for what he was about to do. It took a long time for the man to reach the boy. The church was utterly silent except for the clicking of the man’s cane. All eyes were focused on the deacon. You could have heard a pin drop. The minister could not even preach the sermon because he too was watching and waiting for the deacon to do what he had to do.

The deacon finally reached Bill. Then the congregation saw the elderly man drop his cane on the floor and with great difficulty, he lowered himself and sat down next to Bill. He began worshipping with him so he would not be alone. Everyone choked with emotion. When the minister regained control he said,

“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.”