THE BIBLE SALESMEN
A pastor concluded that his church was getting into serious
financial troubles. While checking the church storeroom, he
discovered several cartons of new Bibles that had never
been opened and distributed. So at his Sunday sermon, he
asked for three volunteers from the congregation who would
be willing to sell the bibles door-to-door for $10 each to
raise the desperately needed money for the church.
Jack, Paul and Louie all raised their hands to
volunteer for the task. The minister knew that Jack and Paul
earned their living as salesmen and were likely capable of
selling some bibles. But he had serious doubts about Louie
who was a local farmer, who had always kept to himself
because he was embarrassed by his speech impediment.
Poor Louis stuttered badly. But, not wanting to discourage
Louis, the minister decided to let him try anyway.
He sent the three of them away with the back seat of their
cars stacked with bibles. He asked them to meet with him and
report the results of their door-to-door selling efforts the
following Sunday.
Eager to find out how successful they were, the minister
immediately asked Jack, "Well, Jack, how did you make out
selling our bibles last week?"
Proudly handing the reverend an envelope, Jack replied,
"Using my sales prowess, I was able to sell 20 bibles, and
here's the $200 I collected on behalf of the church." "Fine
job, Jack!" The minister said, vigorously shaking his hand.
"You are indeed a fine salesman and the Church is indebted
to you."
Turning to Paul, "And Paul, how many bibles did you sell
for the church last week?" Paul, smiling and sticking out
his chest, confidentl replied "I am a professional
salesman. I sold 28 bibles on behalf of the church, and
here's $280 I collected." The minister responded, "That's
absolutely splendid, Paul. You are truly a professional
salesman and the church is also indebted to you."
Apprehensively, the minister turned to Louie and said, "And
Louie, did you manage to sell any bibles last week?"
Louie silently offered the minister a large envelope. The
minister opened it and counted the contents. "What is
this?" the minister exclaimed. "Louie, there's $3200 in
here! Are you suggesting that you sold 320 bibles for the
church, door to door, in just one week?"
Louie just nodded. "That's impossible!" both Jack and Paul
said in unison. "We are professional salesmen, yet you claim
to have sold 10 times as many bibles as we could.""Yes, this
does seem unlikely," the minister agreed.
"I think you'd better explain how you managed to accomplish
this,Louie." Louie shrugged . "I-I-I re-re-really
do-do-don't kn-kn-know f-f-f-for sh-sh-sh-sure," he
stammered. Impatiently, Peter interrupted. "For crying out
loud, Louie, just tell us what you said to them when they
answered the door!"
"A-a-a-all I-I-I s-s-said wa-wa-was," Louis replied ,
"W-w-w-w-would y-y-y-you l-l-l-l-l-like t-t-to b-b-b-buy th-th-th-this
b-b-b-b-bible f-f-for t-t-ten b-b-b-bucks---o-o-o-or---wo-wo-would
yo-you j-j-j-just l-like m-m-me t-t-to st-st-stand h-h-here
and r-r-r-r-r-read it t-to y-y-you??"
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