Bible Story

A minister concluded that his church was getting into serious
financial trouble. While checking the church storeroom, he discovered
several cartons of new bibles that had never been opened and
distributed. So at his Sunday sermon, h e 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. Peter, Pauland Louie all raised their hands to volunteer for
the task. The minister knew that Peter 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 Louie stuttered badly. But, not wanting to discourage Louie, 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 oftheir door-to-door
selling efforts the following Sunday. Anxious to find out how
successful they were, the minister immediately asked Peter, "Well,
Peter, how did you make out selling our bibles last week?". Proudly
handing the reverend an envelope, Peter 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, Peter!" 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, confidently 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 reverend
opened it and counted the contents. "What is this?" the minister
exclaimed. "Louie, there's $3,200 inhere! 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 Peter and Paul said in
unison. "We are professional salesmen, yet you claim to have sold
10times 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!" Louie replied, "A-a-a-all I-I-I- s-s-said wa-wa-was,
"w-w-w-w-would y-y-y-you 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-or wo-wo-would yo-you
j-j-j-just l-l-like m-m-me t-t-to st-st-stand h-h-here and
r-r-r-read it t-t-toy-y-you?