Barry's Blog

The story is told of Billy Graham, the aging evangelist now in his eighties and suffering from Parkinson's Disease, who a few years ago, was invited by the leaders of Charlotte, North Carolina, to a luncheon in his honor. Graham, Charlotte's favorite son, at first hesitated to accept the invitation because of his struggles with Parkinson's Disease, but then agreed after the Charlotte leaders told him, "We don't expect a major address. Just come and let us honor you." So he agreed.

After wonderful things were said about him, Dr. Graham stepped to the rostrum, looked at the crowd, and told them this story:

I'm reminded today of Albert Einstein, the great physicist who this month has been honored by Time Magazine as the Man of the Century. Einstein was once traveling from Princeton on a train when the conductor came down the aisle, punching the tickets of the passengers. When he came to Einstein, Einstein reached in his vest pocket. He couldn't find his ticket, so he reached in his trouseer pockets. It wasn't there, so he looked in his briefcase, but couldn't find it. Then he looked it the seat beside him, but still couldn't find it.

The conductor said, "Dr. Einstein, I know who you are. We all know who you are. I'm sure you bought a ticket. Don't worry about it."

Einstein nodded appreciatively, and the conductor continued down the aisle punching tickets. As he was ready to move on to the next car, he turned around and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees looking under his seat for his ticket.

The conductor rushed back and said, "Dr. Einstein, Dr. Einstein, don't worry! I know who you are. No problem. You don't need a ticket. I'm sure you bought one."

Einstein looked at him and said, "Young man,  I too, know who I am. What I don't know is where I'm going."

Having told this story of Einstein, Graham continued: "See the suit I'm wearing? It's a brand new suit. My wife, my children, and my grandchildren are telling me I've gotten a little slovenly in my old age. I used to be a bit more fastidious. So I went out and bought a new suit for this luncheon and one more occasion...and do you know what that occasion is? This is the suit in which I'll be buried. But when you hear I'm dead, I don't want you to immediately think about the suit I'm wearing. I want you to remember this:

I not only know who I am...I also know where I'm going...."

 "Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal." -Paul's words to the Corinthians, 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

For FinishingWell,

Barry Morrow