An African Circuit Overseer was travelling to a new area by bus. The bus was
very full so the C.O. had to stand in the aisle. (These rural buses are an
experience; they are loaded and overflowing with live chickens, goats, and
all kinds of baggage. Legal limit of 76 passengers is not observed) Half way
along the bus driver pulled up at a country store. He and most of the
passengers got off. The C.O. did not get off but sat down on a now empty
seat to take the weight off his legs until the passengers returned.
However, the passenger whose seat he was in returned before the C.O. had
resumed standing. Now on these rural buses the rule is "you move, you lose"
However, the passenger immediately became very angry and lost his temper.
How dare the C.O. take his seat, etc, etc. The C.O. remained calm and
replied mildly that he had merely sat down for a moment to rest, he had no
intention of taking the seat and stood up again. The passenger screamed more
abuse and the language he hurled at the C.O. became very bad indeed! The
C.O. did not react and the bus started up again. As they approached a
village, the C.O. made his way to the bus driver to check regarding where he
should get off. The bus driver replied: "It's the village ahead. One other
passenger is getting off there." Guess who the other passenger was? The
abusive man! Well, the C.O. and the man got off the bus at the village and
there was no one else around. The C.O. spoke to the man: "I've never been
here before. Please could you tell me how to get to this address?" And he
showed the man a piece of paper with the name and address of the Presiding
Overseer of the local congregation with whom he was to stay. The abusive man
was so embarrassed because it was his own name and address! The C.O.
reported that throughout the week the brother apologized profusely to him
every morning and evening!
So the moral of the story is: Do we only put on the Christian personality
when we are around our brothers or do we have it on all the time, no matter
where we are?