一個溫柔的故事
原作者:佚名
中譯:基甸(真理報加西版2007年6 月號)

　　有位叫比爾的年輕人，一副大學生的穿著打扮，而且是那種比較嬉皮而又有點憤世嫉俗的大學生。他留着長發，穿著有破洞的T恤和退色的牛仔褲，沒穿鞋，光着腳丫。
　　
　　他是個很聰明的孩子，在美國的一間名校讀數書。他的思想遠比同齡的同學深刻。他的父母是很成功的專業人士，對基督教強烈反感，從小就教育他宗教是一種神經錯亂，要他像對待毒品那樣別去碰。但是他到了青春期很反叛，啥都跟父母對着幹。父母喜歡搖滾樂，他偏喜歡古典音樂。進了大學，他竟對宗教特別感起興趣來，他自己在宿舍讀聖經，一讀就是幾個鐘頭。有一天他突然覺得人生特別沒有意義，覺得自己很污穢，而聖經向他說話，讓他強烈地感受到 上帝的恩典。他自己一個人在宿舍里跪下來，流淚禱告，信了主。
　　
　　一個禮拜天的早晨，比爾走過校園附近小鎮的教堂，他停下來，很想進去看看。他並不知道，這是一個中產階級的教會，會友都是博學多才、有所成就的人，穿著正式而高雅的衣服來禮拜，教堂門口停滿了各種名牌車子。這個教會的人很想跟校園裡的大學生傳福音，但是覺得很難。他們好象跟那些成天生活在IM、iPod和手機短信世界裡面的年輕人根本沒有任何共同語言。
　　
　　比爾走進了教堂，還是那身隨隨便便、破破爛爛的穿著打扮。禮拜已經開始了一會兒了。教堂不大，今天早上裡面密密麻麻地坐滿了人，他竟然找不到一個空位。他順着一排排的椅子邊上往前走。人們開始注意到這個穿著另類的年輕人，很多人開始有些不自在，但是沒有人說什麼或做什麼。年輕人再往前走了幾步，還是沒有位子。他於是蹲下來，乾脆盤腿席地而坐。一些教友把身體坐直，甚至有點僵硬，空氣中似乎有一股張力。

　　台上牧師剛剛開始講道。這時牧師看到一位坐在後面的老人站了起來，慢慢向年輕人走去。老人是教會的資深執事，德高望重、敬虔端莊，深受眾人尊敬。白髮蒼蒼的老人穿著很正式的西裝，他走路不很方便，手裡拄着根拐杖，他走得很慢。牧師停止了講道，整個教堂鴉雀無聲，只有老人拐杖碰到地上“篤、篤、篤”的聲音。所有的人都在心裡說，不能怪這個老人，他只不過是要做他該做的，總得有人出面做惡人，這裡畢竟是敬拜 上帝的地方，上帝是輕慢不得的！大家都摒住呼吸等着老人採取行動，所有人的目光都聚集在老人身上。
老人走得很慢，似乎走了幾個世紀才走到年輕人身邊。他把拐杖放在地上，慢慢地、艱難地蹲下來，然後在那個大學生身邊席地坐下。他要跟年輕人並肩而坐，一起敬拜 上帝。禮拜重新繼續，每個人的心裡突然被老人感動，覺得喉嚨哽咽、眼睛潤濕。

　　等牧師稍稍安定一下自己的情緒之後，他說：“我今天要講的信息你們可能很快就忘記了，但剛剛看到的這一幕，你們可能永遠都難以忘記！”
　　接着，他繼續講道。那天早上，他講道的題目是：“道成肉身”。
　　
Now this is the Living Bible
Author: unknown
Chinese Translation: Gideon

His name is Bill. He has wild hair, wears a T-shirt with holes in it, jeans, and no shoes. This was literally his wardrobe for his entire four years of college. He is brilliant, a kind of profound and very, very bright. He became a Christian while attending college.

Across the street from the campus is a well-dressed, very conservative church. They want to develop a ministry to the students but are not sure how to go about it.

One day Bill decides to go there. He walks in with no shoes, jeans, his T-shirt, and wild hair. The service has already started and so Bill starts down the 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 anything.

Bill gets closer and closer and closer to the pulpit, and when he realizes there are no seats, he just squats down right on the carpet.

By now the people are really uptight, and the tension in the air is thick. About this time, the minister realizes that from way at the back of the church, a deacon is slowly making his way toward Bill.

Now the deacon is in his eighties, with silver-gray hair, and a three-piece suit. He is a godly man, very elegant, very dignified, very courtly. He walks with a cane and, as he starts walking toward this boy, everyone is saying to himself that 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 man 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 can't even preach the sermon until the deacon does what he has to do.

And now they see this elderly man drop his cane on the floor. With great difficulty, he lowers himself and sits down next to Bill and worships 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!"