Hat tip to Rick for sending me this. I thought it was worth sharing.
THE SILENT SERMON
A member of a certain church,
Who previously had been attending services
Regularly, stopped going. After a few weeks,
The pastor decided to visit him.
It was a chilly evening. The pastor found the man at home
Alone, sitting before a blazing fire.
Guessing the reason for his pastor's visit, the
Man welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair
Near the fireplace and waited.
The pastor made himself at home but said nothing. In
The grave silence, he contemplated the dance of
The flames around the burning logs. After
Some minutes, the pastor took the fire tongs,
Carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and
Placed it to one side of the hearth all alone then
He sat back in his chair, still silent.
The host watched all this in quiet
Contemplation. As the one lone ember's flame
Flickered and diminished, there was a momentary
Glow and then its fire was no more. Soon it
Was cold and dead.
Not a word had been
Spoken since the initial greeting. The
Pastor glanced at his watch and realized it was
Time to leave. He slowly stood up, picked up
The cold, dead ember and placed it back in the
Middle of the fire. Immediately it began to
Glow, once more with the light and warmth of the
Burning coals around it.
As the pastor
Reached the door to leave, his host said with a
Tear running down his cheek, 'Thank you so
Much for your visit and especially for the firey
Sermon. I will be back in church next
Sunday'.
We live in a world today, which
Tries to say too much with too
Little. Consequently, few listen.
Sometimes the best sermons are the ones left
Unspoken.
Great6 parable! Thanks!
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