It was a cold winter's day that Sunday. The
parking lot to the church was filling up quickly. I noticed as I got out
of my car that fellow church members were whispering among themselves as
they walked to the church. As I got closer I saw a man leaned up against
the wall outside the church.
He was almost laying down as if he was asleep. He had on a long trench
coat that was almost in shreds and a hat topped his head, pulled down so
you could not see his face He wore shoes that looked 30 years old, too
small for his feet with holes all over them, his toes stuck out. I assumed
this man was homeless, and asleep, so I walked on by through the doors of
the church.
We all fellowshipped for a few minutes, and someone brought up the man
laying outside. People snickered and gossiped but no one bothered to ask
him to come in, including me. A few moments later church began.
We all waited for the Preacher to take his place and to give us the Word, when the
doors to the church opened. |
We all waited for the Preacher
to take his place and to give us the Word, when the
doors to the church opened.
In came the homeless man walking down the aisle with his head down.
People gasped and whispered and made faces. He made his way down the aisle
and up onto the pulpit he took off his hat and coat.
My heart sank.
There stood our preacher...he was the "homeless man." No one
said a word.
The preacher took his Bible and laid it on the stand. "Folks, I
don't think I have to tell you what I am preaching about today."
Then he started singing the words to this song. "If I can help
somebody as I pass along. If I can cheer somebody with a word or song. If
I can show somebody that he's traveling wrong. Then my living shall not be
in vain."
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"Is Your Living In Vain?"
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– Selected, September 2000 –
GNFY is published under the oversight of the
Alkire Rd Church of Christ elders, 2779 Alkire Road, Grove City, Ohio, 43123.
Please feel
free to reproduce as is. No changes may be made without permission.
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Editor:
Mark Bass, Minister, mebass1957@aol.com,
(614) 875-1028
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Youth
Leader: John Justus, (614) 274-9563
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