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 into the church. 

    As I got closer I saw a man leaned up against the wall outside the church. He was almost lying 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 gathered for fellowship for a few minutes, and someone brought up the man lying 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 words or song. 

    If I can show somebody that he's traveling wrong. 

    Then my living shall not be in vain.” 

    這是冬季里的一個寒冷的禮拜天。教堂前的停車處很快就停滿了車。當我下車的時候，我注意到善男信女們邊走進教堂邊小聲議論著什么。 

    我向教堂走去。這時，我看見一個男人斜靠在教堂的外墻上。他幾乎是躺在地上，仿佛已經睡著了。他穿著一件破爛不堪的軍大衣，頭上斜扣著一頂帽子，幾乎遮住了整張臉。從他穿的鞋來看，他大約30歲，不過他的鞋也太小了，他的腳都把它們撐破了，腳趾全都露出鞋外。 

    我猜想這是一個無家可歸的人，昨晚在這里過夜，所以我也像其他人一樣沒做什么，就徑直走進了教堂。我們在教堂里互相寒暄著，幾分鐘后，有人提起了教堂外面躺著的那個人。有人竊笑，有人表示厭惡，但就是沒有一個人愿意出去邀請他進來，包括我。 

    不久，舉行禮拜的時間到了。我們都等候著牧師上來給我們講道。這時，教堂的門打開了，那個無家可歸的人低著頭走上了教堂的過道。人們的呼吸急促起來，小聲議論著，臉上的表情都奇怪極了。那個人走到過道的盡頭，直接登上了講道壇，然后脫下他的外套和帽子。我的心一沉。此刻，在講道壇上站著的是我們的牧師——那個“無家可歸”的人。 

    沒有人說一句話。牧師把他的《圣經》放到講臺上，說：“教徒們，我想我已不必告訴你們今天我想宣揚什么。”然后他唱起了這首歌： 

    “當我前行的時候，如果我能給人幫助； 

    如果我能用我的話語和歌聲給人鼓勵與歡呼； 

    如果我能指引人們走出迷途； 

    那么我的人生將不會白白度過。”