by cracker39 » Wed Apr 12, 2006 8:32 pm
The Bible Salesman
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.
Anxious 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,
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 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??"
)...............
