HIS NAME IS JOHN
Author Unknown
His name is John. 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 John decides to go there. He walks in
with no shoes, jeans, his T-shirt, and wild hair. The service has
already started and so John 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. John 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 John. 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 John and worships with him.
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."
|