This is a story about a very old man named Thomas. He had outlived all his friends and hardly anyone knew him any more. When he died, the pastor went to his funeral, thinking that no one else would be at the cemetery. To make things even worse, it was a wild windy rainy day.
At the gate to the cemetery the pastor found a soldier standing. He came to the graveside for the ceremony, and when it was over, he saluted the casket as he would a king.
The pastor walked away with the soldier and noticed from his shoulder badges that the man was a brigadier general. The general said to the pastor, "No doubt, you are wondering what I am doing here. Well, years ago Thomas was my Sunday school teacher. I was a wild boy and caused him many a headache. He never knew what he did for me. But I owe to old Tomas everything that I am or will be. So I came today to salute him at the end."
Thomas had no idea who he was influencing by his talks. No teacher or preacher ever docs. They sow the seed and God takes care of the harvest.
--- William Barclay
Source: The Millenium Stories by Frank Mihalic, SVD *282
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