His name is John. 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. Kinda esoteric 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 John decides to go there. He walks in with no shoes, jeans, his
T-shirt, and wild hair. The sermon has already started and so John
starts down the aisle looking for a seat. The church is completely
packed and he can’t find a seat.

By now people are looking a bit uncomfortable, but no one says anything.
John 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.
(Although perfectly acceptable behavior at a college fellowship, trust
me, this had never happened in this church before!)

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 John. Now the
deacon is in his eighties, has silver-gray hair, a three piece suit, and
a pocket watch.

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
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 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 people are
thinking, “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 John 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.”

From “Out of the saltshaker” by Rebecca Manley Pippert (IVP 1979).