A church had some serious financial problem, and the pastor was quite worried. After racking his brain for possible solutions and praying, somehow for no apparent reason, he suddenly got a very strong urge to go to the church storeroom, whereupon he discovered several cartons of brand new Bibles.
So, at the end of his sermon, he asked for three volunteers from the congregation who would be willing to sell the Bibles door-to-door for $10 each to help raise the desperately funds for the church. Three fellows---Jack, Paul and Louie, raised their hands and volunteered for the task. The minister knew that Jack and Paul were both top salesmen in their respective companies, so he had no doubt whatsoever about their ability to sell. But he had quite a bit of dread and reservation about Louie, a local farmer who kept to himself most of the time because of terrible stuttering . But not wanting to discourage Louie, the minister decided to let him try his luck.
Before each of the three men drove away from the church parking lot with cartons of Bibles in their individual car's trunk, the pastor asked them to meet with him and report the results of their door-to-door efforts the following weekend.
The week passed quickly, and after church, anxious to find out how the three men did, the minister met with the volunteers in his office. He first turned to Jack and asked, "Well, Jack, how did you do selling our Bibles?"
Proudly handing the minister an envelope, Jack answered, 'I know I could have sold more had I spent more time. Anyhow, I was able to sell 20 Bibles, and in the envelope are $200.'
'Terrific job, Jack! You are indeed a fine salesman and the Church is indebted to you," the minister said, as he smilingly and vigorously shook Jack's hand.
Then, he turned to Paul and asked, 'Well, how about you Paul, how many Bibles did you sell this past week?'
Paul, another top caliber salesman, confidently replied, "Well, just like Jack, I am sure I could've sold more if I put more time and effort, but with whatever little effort I put forth, I sold 28 Bibles, and here's an envelope, There should be $280 in it."
Again, the minister glowingly exclaimed, "That's absolutely splendid, Paul. You're truly quite a salesman and the Church is indebted to you."
Finally and rather apprehensively, the minister turned to Louie and trying to muster as much enthusiasm, he asked: "Well, Louie, did you manage to sell any Bibles?"
Louie just handed an envelope to the minister, who opened it and counted the contents. "What's this?" the minister asked incredulously. "Louie, there are $3,200 in here! Are you suggesting that you sold 320 Bibles in just one week?"
Louie just nodded.
"That's impossible!" both Jack and Paul protestingly exclaimed in unison.
"Jack and I are both top rate salesmen, yet you claim to have sold 10 times more Bibles than the two of us combined?" added Paul.
"Yes, this is unbelievable," the minister agreed. "I think you'd better explain how you managed to accomplish this, Louie."
Louie shrugged his shoulders as he stammered, "I-I-I r-r-really d-d-don't k-k-know f-f-f-for sh-sh-sh-sure."
Impatiently, Jack interrupted. "For crying out loud, Louie, just tell us exactly what you did when the people came to the door!"
Louie replied, "W-w-w-well, a-a-a-all I-I-I d-d-d-did w-w-w-was ask, 'W-w-w-w-would y-y-y-you l-l-l-l-l-like t-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 or w-w-would y-y-you j-j-j-just l-l-like m-m-m-m-me t-t-to s-s-stand h-h-here and r-r-r-r-r-read it t-to y-y-you?'"
Author Unknown
So, at the end of his sermon, he asked for three volunteers from the congregation who would be willing to sell the Bibles door-to-door for $10 each to help raise the desperately funds for the church. Three fellows---Jack, Paul and Louie, raised their hands and volunteered for the task. The minister knew that Jack and Paul were both top salesmen in their respective companies, so he had no doubt whatsoever about their ability to sell. But he had quite a bit of dread and reservation about Louie, a local farmer who kept to himself most of the time because of terrible stuttering . But not wanting to discourage Louie, the minister decided to let him try his luck.
Before each of the three men drove away from the church parking lot with cartons of Bibles in their individual car's trunk, the pastor asked them to meet with him and report the results of their door-to-door efforts the following weekend.
The week passed quickly, and after church, anxious to find out how the three men did, the minister met with the volunteers in his office. He first turned to Jack and asked, "Well, Jack, how did you do selling our Bibles?"
Proudly handing the minister an envelope, Jack answered, 'I know I could have sold more had I spent more time. Anyhow, I was able to sell 20 Bibles, and in the envelope are $200.'
'Terrific job, Jack! You are indeed a fine salesman and the Church is indebted to you," the minister said, as he smilingly and vigorously shook Jack's hand.
Then, he turned to Paul and asked, 'Well, how about you Paul, how many Bibles did you sell this past week?'
Paul, another top caliber salesman, confidently replied, "Well, just like Jack, I am sure I could've sold more if I put more time and effort, but with whatever little effort I put forth, I sold 28 Bibles, and here's an envelope, There should be $280 in it."
Again, the minister glowingly exclaimed, "That's absolutely splendid, Paul. You're truly quite a salesman and the Church is indebted to you."
Finally and rather apprehensively, the minister turned to Louie and trying to muster as much enthusiasm, he asked: "Well, Louie, did you manage to sell any Bibles?"
Louie just handed an envelope to the minister, who opened it and counted the contents. "What's this?" the minister asked incredulously. "Louie, there are $3,200 in here! Are you suggesting that you sold 320 Bibles in just one week?"
Louie just nodded.
"That's impossible!" both Jack and Paul protestingly exclaimed in unison.
"Jack and I are both top rate salesmen, yet you claim to have sold 10 times more Bibles than the two of us combined?" added Paul.
"Yes, this is unbelievable," the minister agreed. "I think you'd better explain how you managed to accomplish this, Louie."
Louie shrugged his shoulders as he stammered, "I-I-I r-r-really d-d-don't k-k-know f-f-f-for sh-sh-sh-sure."
Impatiently, Jack interrupted. "For crying out loud, Louie, just tell us exactly what you did when the people came to the door!"
Louie replied, "W-w-w-well, a-a-a-all I-I-I d-d-d-did w-w-w-was ask, 'W-w-w-w-would y-y-y-you l-l-l-l-l-like t-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 or w-w-would y-y-you j-j-j-just l-l-like m-m-m-m-me t-t-to s-s-stand h-h-here and r-r-r-r-r-read it t-to y-y-you?'"
Author Unknown