BY JENNI PARKER | AgapePress

Once, while volunteering at a conference in the display area, I returned from a break to find a neighboring “book table girl” almost in tears.

Through clenched teeth, she explained that the guest speaker – a famous Christian author and advocate for social justice and Biblical reconciliation –had stopped by during the intermission and berated her because none of his books were among those displayed for sale.

The young worker had put out all the literature her Christian publishing company had sent; however, the author was upset that somebody had dropped the ball by not including his books. And although the young woman didn’t have enough authority to be blamed, he took his frustration out on her anyway.

I felt oddly guilty, being a fan of this particular speaker. I found myself apologizing for him, suggesting that, having traveled far to deliver the keynote, he was probably under a lot of stress. She agreed graciously, but I knew the excuse rang hollow. I found myself wishing I weren’t too timid to confront the author, regardless of my being a stranger, to urge him to repair the damage done to his witness by taking time to apologize to an unfairly wounded and shaken innocent.

Regrettably, I did nothing. However, I started to see a lesson in the whole affair: How often, I wonder, in my opportunities to influence others with Biblical appeals to conscience, do I get so caught up in preaching my message that I forget to demonstrate it in my own life? How often do I become caught up in my noble work of calling others to love, pity and justice, only to let my own behavior preach self-centeredness, insensitivity and a lack of compassion?

It was a powerful exhortation. That famous author probably didn’t know he had it in him.