S s
stut t er ing
and
Using Your Gifts for God
A minister concluded that
his church was getting into serious financial troubles.
Coincidentally, by chance, while checking the church storeroom,
he discovered several cartons of new bibles that had never been opened
and distributed; So at his Sunday sermon, he asked for three volunteers
from the congregation who would be willing to sell the bibles
door-to-door for $10 each to raise desperately needed money for
the church
Peter, Paul and Louie all raised their hands to
volunteer for the task. The reverend
knew that Peter and Paul earned their livings as salesmen and
were likely capable of selling some bibles, but he had serious doubts
about Louie who was just a little local farmer who had always
tended to keep to himself because he was embarrassed by his
speech impediment.
Poor little Louis stuttered badly. But, not
wanting to discourage poor Louis, the reverend decided to let him try
anyway.
He sent the three of them away with the back seat of
their cars stacked with bibles and asked them to meet with him
and report the results of their door-to-door selling efforts the
following Sunday.
When they got together, the reverend immediately
asked Peter, Well, Peter, how did you make out selling our bibles
last week?"
Proudly handing the reverend an envelope,
Peter replied, "Pastor, using my sales prowess, I was able to
sell 20 bibles, and here's the $200 collected on behalf of the church."
"Fine job, Peter!" the reverend said, vigorously
shaking his hand. You are indeed a fine
salesman and the Church is indebted to you."
Turning to Paul, he asked "And how many bibles did
you manage to sell for the church last week?"
Paul, smiling and sticking out his chest,
confidently replied, "Reverend, I am a
professional salesman and was happy to give the church the
benefit of my expertise. Last week I sold 28 bibles
on behalf of the church, and here's $280 I collected."
The reverend responded, "That's absolutely splendid,
Paul. You are truly a professional salesman
and the church is also indebted to you."
Apprehensively, the reverend turned to little Louie
and said, 'And Louie, did you manage to
sell any bibles last week?"
Louie silently offered the reverend a large
envelope. The reverend opened it and counted the
contents. "What is this?" the reverend exclaimed. "Louie,
there's $3200 in here! Are you suggesting that you sold
320 bibles for the church, door to door, in just one week?
Louie just nodded.
"That's impossible!" both Peter and Paul said in
unison. "We are professional salesmen, yet you claim to
have sold 10 times as many bibles as we could."
"Yes, this does seem unlikely," the reverend agreed.
"Please explain how you managed to accomplish this, Louie."
Louie shrugged. "I-I-I- re-re-really do-do-don't
kn-kn-know f-f-f-for sh-sh-sh-sure," he stammered.
Impatiently, Peter interrupted. "For crying out
loud, Louie, just tell us what you said to
them when they answered the door!"
"A-a-a-all
I-I-I s-s-said wa-wa-was," Louis replied,
W-w-w-w-would y-y-y-you l-l-l-l-l-like
t-t-to
b-b-b-buy th-th-th-this b-b-b-b-bible f-f-for
t-t-ten b-b-b-bucks - o-o-o-or-
wo-wo-would yo-you j-j-j-just l-like
m-m-me t-t-to st-stand h-h-here and
r-r-r-r-r-read it t-to y-y-you?"
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