In a small town there were only two churches, one at each end of town; nearly everyone in town attended on or the other every Sunday. The respective pastors got by without cars and either walked or bicycled when getting around town.

One Saturday they happened to meet, one on his bike, the other on foot. "Brother, where is your bicycle?" asked the first one.

"Well," replied the second, "I'm not sure; either it's been stolen, or I rode it somewhere and then forgot and walked back home."

"Here's what we can do," said the first. "In our sermons tomorrow we will preach on the Ten Commandments, and we will emphasize 'thou shalt not steal.' That way, if someone has taken it or has found it, he will perhaps be moved to return it."

They agreed to do that and went their way. Two days later they met again; the second preacher was on his bike again. "Say, brother," said the first, "I see that one of our sermons did the trick."

"Well, yes," the second responded, "It was mine, but not in the way we intended. When I got to 'thou shalt not commit adultery,' I remembered where I left it."