Shared by Wyman
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 then 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 regains 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!"
Oh WOW! Esther this is really a 'light bulb post'. I see so many sniff and pull away if those 'riff raff' dare enter their 'holy space'.
ReplyDeleteExcellent, excellent reflection:) Thanks Esther:).
Peace & love to you my friend:)
Marie xoxooxo
"Be careful how you live. You may be the only Bible some people will ever read!"
ReplyDeleteI love it. That line is great.
Living in the inner city, I see it a lot and it pains me.
ReplyDeleteI am particularly challenged in my faith when I am confronted by the MANY street people asking for handouts; who am I to judge who is to get money and who is to get a sandwich?
When asked this question, priests and fellow christians alike suggest conflicting opinions.
So...I say...who am I to judge!???.
This is one instance where I decide to take the Beatitudes literally.
Not to be too long, but in one case a 'regular' who was an elderly man..said 'good-bye' to me as I gave him some money. "I'll see you in the spring' he said. "I'm going home to the Isle of Jamaica for a few months and will see you in several months".
Sure enough..every year now, he disappears every winter and returns when it is warm.
Foolish to give him money???(wish I could afford to go to Jamaica LOL). Yeah..perhaps I'm a fool...but he lives in poverty here and his family is all there. Who knows but the Lord what is going on behind the scenes in his life and also in my spiritual formation in doing things like this.
Many are called fools for taking the Word literally. Fools for Christ.
sorry to take so long , but this post brought things to mind during this time of Lent and our Pontiff's encyclical on Almsgiving.
Thanks for the spiritual food for thought today.
teresa_anawim
I know what you mean Marie. Glad you enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteJM: Isn't it!
Teresa my friend's late brother, a priest told us that he would often give money to a homeless person. His friends would reprimand him and tell him that they would probably just use the money for alcohol or drugs. Fr. N would respond that God will judge your actions not on where your money ends up.
Aahh! God bless Fr. N.
ReplyDelete