$10.00 Bibles
A minister was concerned that his church was headed towards serious troubles
if they didn't replace the heating system soon - the duct tape and baling wire
repairs were breaking down faster than they could fix them - more people would
go elsewhere - but it was going to cost over $9,000.
By chance, while checking the church storeroom, he discovered
a hundred cartons of Bibles that had never been opened and distributed.
So at the end of his sermon on Sunday, he asked for three volunteers
to sell the bibles door-to-door for $10 each to raise the roof money.
Peter, Paul and Louie raised their hands to volunteer.
The reverend knew that Peter and Paul earned their living as salesmen
and would easily sell Bibles but he had some concerns about Louie.
Louie was a local farmer, a quiet person who kept to himself
because he was embarrassed by his speech impediment - Louis stuttered very
badly. Wanting to encourage Louis to become more involved with people,
the preacher was excited that the Lord had opened this door of opportunity.
He sent the three of them off with their back seats full ... over
300 Bibles each.
The following Sunday, eager to find out how successful they were, the
preacher met with Peter, Paul and Louie, "Well, how did you make out
selling our Bibles last week?"
Proudly handing over an envelope, Peter replied, "Reverand,
I was able to sell 27 bibles last week ... here's the $270 I collected for the
church."
"Fine job, Peter!" The reverend said, vigorously
shaking his hand, "You are a fine salesman and the Church is indebted to
you."
Paul, smiling and sticking out his chest, "Preacher, I
sold 53 bibles and here's the $530."
The preacher responded, "That's absolutely splendid,
Paul. Thank you."
Apprehensively, but with hope in his heart, the reverend turned to Louie,
"Louie?"
Louie silently offered the preacher a fat envelope. The reverend
opened it, counted the contents and exclaimed. "Louie, there's
$3,210 in here! You sold 321 Bibles in one week?"
"That's impossible!" Peter and Paul said in unison. "We
are professional salesmen, and you claim to have sold hundreds more than
we did."
The reverend delightedly asked, "How did you managed this,
Louie."
Louie shrugged, and looking down, stammered, "I-I-I- re-re-really do-do-don't
n-n-know f-f-f-for sh-sh-sh-sure."
Impatiently, Peter interrupted. "For crying out loud, Louie, just
tell us what you said when they answered the door!"
"A-a-a-all I-I s-s-said wa-was," Louis replied, "W-w-w-w-would
y-y-you l-l-l-like t-to b-b-b-buy th-tth-this b-b-b-b-Bible f-f-for
t-t-ten b-bucks --- o-or --- wo-wo-would yo-you l-like m-m-me t-to
r-r-r-read it t-to y-y-you?"
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A cheerful heart
is good medicine... (Prov 17:22)