It was a cold winter’s day that
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; Sunday. The parking lot to the
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; church was filling up quickly.

; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; I noticed as I got out of my
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; car that fellow church members
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; were whispering among themselves
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; as they walked to the church.

; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ;
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; As I got closer I saw a man
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; leaned up against the wall
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; outside the church. He was
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; almost laying down as if he
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; was asleep. He had on a long
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; trench coat that was almost
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; in shreds and a hat topped
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; his head, pulled down so you
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; could not see his face.

; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ;
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; He wore shoes that looked 30
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; years old, too small for his
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; feet with holes all over them,
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; his toes stuck out. I assumed
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; this man was homeless, and
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; asleep, so I walked on by
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; through the doors of the
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; church.

; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ;
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; We all fellowship for a few
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; minutes, and someone brought
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; up the man laying outside.

; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; People snickered and gossiped
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; but no one bothered to ask him
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; to come in, including me.

; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ;
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; A few moments later church
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; began. We all waited for
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; the Preacher to take his
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; place and to give us the
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; Word when the doors to the
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; church opened. In came the
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; homeless man walking down
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; the aisle with his head
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; down.

; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ;
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; People gasped and whispered
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; and made faces. He made his
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; way down the aisle and up
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; onto the pulpit. He took
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; off his hat and coat.

; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ;
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; My heart sank. There stood
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; our preacher … he was the
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; “homeless man.” No one said
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; a word. The preacher took
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; his Bible and laid it on the
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; stand.

; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ;
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; “Folks, I don’t think I have
> > >> > >>> > > to tell you what I am preaching
> > >> > >>> > > about today.” Then he started
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; singing the words to this song.

; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ;
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; “If I can help somebody as I
> > >> > >>> > > pass along. If I can cheer
> > >> > >>> > > somebody with a word or song.

> > >> > >>> > > If I can show somebody that
> > >> > >>> > > he’s traveling wrong. Then
> > >> > >>> > > my living shall not be in vain.”
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ;
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; THIS IS A SIMPLE TEST…….

; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ;
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; If you love God, send this to
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; ten people and the person that
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; sent it to you!!!!!!!!
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ;
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; Justice – When you get what
; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; you deserve.

; ; ;; ; ;;; ; ; Mercy – When you don’t get
> > >> > >>> > > what you deserve.

> > >> > >>> > > Grace – When you get what
> > >> > >>> > > you don’t deserve.