Bill Glass and A “Yes” Face
By Jerry Hale

Former professional football star and long time Behind the Walls prison minister Bill Glass passed away on December 5th at age 86. I first heard of Bill Glass in 1958 when he played defensive end for the Detroit Lions. For some reason the Lions traded him to the Cleveland Browns after 4 seasons where he went on to be named to the Pro Bowl 4 times and played on the Browns 1964 NFL Championship Team.
I had the opportunity to meet Bill Glass when he was the speaker for the Coast Guard Headquarters Prayer Breakfast in Washington, DC in 1994. I was on the planning committee for the event and had the privilege of sitting with him and the Coast Guard Commandant at the head table and introducing him to the audience.
My good friend Dane Egli and I met with Bill for dinner the night before the event and afterwards we took a walk near the Jefferson Memorial. As we were at the Memorial, Bill asked us if we had heard the story of a “Yes” face. Neither Dane nor I had, so Bill related the story as told by Charles Swindoll: “During Thomas Jefferson’s presidency he and a group of travelers were crossing a river that had overflowed its banks. Each man crossed on horseback fighting for his life. A lone traveler watched the group traverse the treacherous river and then asked President Jefferson to take him across. The president agreed without hesitation, the man climbed on, and the two made it safely to the other side of the river where somebody asked him: “Why did you select the President to ask this favor?” The man was shocked, admitting he had no idea it was the President of the United States who had carried him safely across. “All I know,” he said, “is that on some of your faces was written the answer ‘No’ and on some of them was the answer ‘Yes.’ His was a ‘Yes’ face.”
After relating the story, Bill turned to me and gave me an unexpected complement, “Jerry, you have a ‘Yes’ face.” I’ve never forgotten that affirmation from Bill Glass, but in reality, we all have the choice of our attitude and the kind of face we project each day and every day. It can be hard to maintain a “Yes” attitude when surrounded by so many with “No” attitude mindsets. I pray that by God’s grace we might always be open-faced and authentic in our dealings with others for His glory.
JERRY HALE, LEGISLATIVE CHAPLAIN, DELAWARE AND NEW JERSEY with Leaders of Faith.