His name is Bill. He has wild hair, wears a T-shirt with holes in it, jeans and no shoes. This was literally is wardrobe for his entire four years of college. He is brilliant; kind of esoteric and very, very bright. He became a Christian recently while attending college.
Across the street from the campus is a very conservative church with well-dressed members. One Sunday Bill decides to go there. He walks in with no shoes, wearing jeans and a T-shirt, and wild hair. The service has already started; Bill starts down the center 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 or does anything. Bill gets closer and closer and closer to the pulpit; when he realizes there are no seats, he just squats down right on the carpet! (Although perfectly acceptable behavior at a college fellowship, for sure this had never happened in this church before!)
By now the people are very uptight, and the tension in the air is thick. About this time, the minister notices that from way at the back of the church, an Elder is slowly making his way towards Bill.
Now the Elder is in his eighties, has silver-gray hair, and is wearing a three-piece suit…a godly man, very elegant, very dignified, very courtly. He walks with a cane; as he starts walking toward this young man, 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 Elder 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 doesn’t even start to preach the sermon until the Elder 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…ready to worship 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. Be careful how you live. You may be the only Bible some people will ever read.”
- Author Unknown
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My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? James 2:1-4 NIV
Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. Romans 15:7 ESV
Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Romans 2:15-18 ESV
So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. John 13:34 NLT
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