A Dropped Cane

I have forgotten where I found the story of Bill and his trip to church, but in it we find a story of letting your actions speak of God’s love.

You see, Bill had wild and crazy hair, wore a t-shirt with holes in it, saggy jeans, and no shoes on his dirty feet. This was literally his wardrobe for his entire four years of college. He was also brilliant, and kind of esoteric.

Across the street from the college campus is a well-dressed, very conservative church. They wanted to develop a ministry to the students at the college, but were not sure how to go about it. And it was this church that Bill decided visit.

Bill, with his wild and crazy hair, t-shirt with holes in it, saggy jeans, and definitely now shoes on his dirty feet, walks across the street to the church, in which sat a congregation with neat hair, suits and dresses, slacks with creases, and polished shoes.

The service has already started and so Bill starts down the aisle looking for a seat. The church is completely packed. Though Bill couldn’t find a seat, everyone found Bill. Every eye is on Bill as he moves closer to the front, and, by now, people were really looking and feeling 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 goes right down right onto the carpet in the middle of the isle. (Although perfectly acceptable behavior at a college hangout, 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. Even the pastor was a bit dumbfounded as he stood behind the pulpit about to start his sermon. But it wasn’t just Bill that had the pastor on edge. The pastor saw way at the back of the church a deacon slowly making his way toward Bill.

Now the deacon is in his eighties, has silver-gray hair, and is dressed in a three-piece suit. He was a godly man, very elegant, very dignified, and very courtly. As he walks down the else with a cane to aide his balance, everyone is thinking to themselves that you can't blame the elderly deacon for what he's about to do. After all, wild-haired college students shouldn’t be sitting on their newly carpeted floors in the middle of the isle! How can you expect a man of his age and of his background to understand some college kid on the floor?

All eyes are focused on the deacon. The minister can't even preach the sermon until the deacon does what he has to do. When the deacon reaches Bill, this elderly man drop his cane on the floor. With great difficulty he lowers himself and sits down next to Bill. The deacon just didn’t want Bill to be alone for worship.

The pastor is now able to speak, and 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."

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16

A Few Q's for You

How have you been shown unreasonable love?

How did it make you feel?

How can you love other like that old deacon?

Write an answer in the comment box. If it is too personal, keep it anonymous.

If this has been helpful to you, post a link to your Facebook page for your friends to get encouraged.