Sad Truth

Sad Truth

May the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows.

1 Thessalonians 3:12

While Diane struggled with feelings of inadequacy, she witnessed something the following weekend that let her know she wasn’t the one with the problem.

At a Florida conference, a timid-looking woman approached Mrs. Perfect in the ballroom lobby.

“I must tell you how much I admire you,” she managed. “In fact, I have every one of your books.”

Perfect smiled. “Every one? There are five books in the first series alone.”

The woman nodded. “And seven in the second.”

Perfect glanced at her watch. “Yes, and my latest book is available at my booth. Do buy it, and I’ll autograph it for you. Well, I must run.”

The timid woman took a deep breath to gather courage and said, “May I hug you before I go?”

Perfect looked appalled. “Oh, I’d rather you didn’t,” she said. “My makeup and hair are just so, and I don’t want to be mussed up.”

The timid woman’s face flushed as she nodded and quickly turned away. Diane felt embarrassed and heartsick. Her long-admired mentor, the one she had held up as an example of “The Perfect Christian Woman,” had proven herself to be just another stage performer.

Diane noticed the woman did not stop to buy a book after the presentation. The next morning, Diane saw her checking out of the hotel even though the conference would continue for another two days. She wondered what the woman would do with all of Perfect’s books once she arrived home. Probably nothing. She would just make sure she never again asked for something as “intimate” as a public hug. —SANDRA

Lord, it’s easy for me to criticize people like Mrs. Perfect. After all, would it have killed her to give the woman a quick hug? But have I ever been thoughtless like that? Have I ever reacted hastily, not realizing the pain or embarrassment my quick words caused? Help me to think before I respond. And help me to respond out of a heart attuned to you.

Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to a garage makes you an automobile. —BILLY SUNDAY (1862–1935), AMERICAN EVANGELIST