Matthew 25:40 Version (NIV)
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did
for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
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 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."
What an amazing example of what God wants from each of
us, to welcome everybody into His house and His family.
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