一个温柔的故事
原作者:佚名
中译:基甸(真理报加西版2007年6 月号)

　　有位叫比尔的年轻人，一副大学生的穿著打扮，而且是那种比较嬉皮而又有点愤世嫉俗的大学生。他留着长发，穿著有破洞的T恤和退色的牛仔裤，没穿鞋，光着脚丫。
　　
　　他是个很聪明的孩子，在美国的一间名校读数书。他的思想远比同龄的同学深刻。他的父母是很成功的专业人士，对基督教强烈反感，从小就教育他宗教是一种神经错乱，要他像对待毒品那样别去碰。但是他到了青春期很反叛，啥都跟父母对着干。父母喜欢摇滚乐，他偏喜欢古典音乐。进了大学，他竟对宗教特别感起兴趣来，他自己在宿舍读圣经，一读就是几个钟头。有一天他突然觉得人生特别没有意义，觉得自己很污秽，而圣经向他说话，让他强烈地感受到 上帝的恩典。他自己一个人在宿舍里跪下来，流泪祷告，信了主。
　　
　　一个礼拜天的早晨，比尔走过校园附近小镇的教堂，他停下来，很想进去看看。他并不知道，这是一个中产阶级的教会，会友都是博学多才、有所成就的人，穿著正式而高雅的衣服来礼拜，教堂门口停满了各种名牌车子。这个教会的人很想跟校园里的大学生传福音，但是觉得很难。他们好象跟那些成天生活在IM、iPod和手机短信世界里面的年轻人根本没有任何共同语言。
　　
　　比尔走进了教堂，还是那身随随便便、破破烂烂的穿著打扮。礼拜已经开始了一会儿了。教堂不大，今天早上里面密密麻麻地坐满了人，他竟然找不到一个空位。他顺着一排排的椅子边上往前走。人们开始注意到这个穿著另类的年轻人，很多人开始有些不自在，但是没有人说什么或做什么。年轻人再往前走了几步，还是没有位子。他于是蹲下来，干脆盘腿席地而坐。一些教友把身体坐直，甚至有点僵硬，空气中似乎有一股张力。

　　台上牧师刚刚开始讲道。这时牧师看到一位坐在后面的老人站了起来，慢慢向年轻人走去。老人是教会的资深执事，德高望重、敬虔端庄，深受众人尊敬。白发苍苍的老人穿著很正式的西装，他走路不很方便，手里拄着根拐杖，他走得很慢。牧师停止了讲道，整个教堂鸦雀无声，只有老人拐杖碰到地上“笃、笃、笃”的声音。所有的人都在心里说，不能怪这个老人，他只不过是要做他该做的，总得有人出面做恶人，这里毕竟是敬拜 上帝的地方，上帝是轻慢不得的！大家都摒住呼吸等着老人采取行动，所有人的目光都聚集在老人身上。
老人走得很慢，似乎走了几个世纪才走到年轻人身边。他把拐杖放在地上，慢慢地、艰难地蹲下来，然后在那个大学生身边席地坐下。他要跟年轻人并肩而坐，一起敬拜 上帝。礼拜重新继续，每个人的心里突然被老人感动，觉得喉咙哽咽、眼睛润湿。

　　等牧师稍稍安定一下自己的情绪之后，他说：“我今天要讲的信息你们可能很快就忘记了，但刚刚看到的这一幕，你们可能永远都难以忘记！”
　　接着，他继续讲道。那天早上，他讲道的题目是：“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!"