A father was explaining ethics to his son who was about to go into business: “Suppose a woman comes in and orders $100 worth of material. You wrap it up and give it to her. She pays you with a $100 bill. As she departs through the door you realize that she has given you two $100 bills by mistake. Here’s where the ethics come in. Should you or shouldn’t you tell your partner?”
The father could only pass on the ethics that he himself understood. If the father had a warped, selfish set of ethics. that’s all he could pass on to his son.
Likewise, you can only pass on to your children what is in your heart. By the way, what is in your heart?
Tags: ethics, money, parenting, stealing
After the 1992 Los Angeles riots, Steve Futterman of CBC radio broadcast an interview he had with one of the riot’s many looters. The man had been one of many people who had looted a record store. When asked what he had stolen, the man replied, “Gospel tapes. I love Jesus.”
What’s wrong with that picture? Can it be that loving Jesus has no connection with character? Is Christian music simply a part of our culture, but not a part of our heart? A person can wear a cross around his/her neck as a symbol, but not have any relationship with Jesus Who died there for us. It would do us all good to reflect on the above story and ask ourselves just how genuine our love for Jesus really is.
Tags: character, love, stealing
During his years as mayor of New York City, Fiorello La Guardia sometimes presided as judge in a night court. In one case, a man was found guilty of stealing a loaf of bread. He pleaded that he had committed that theft to feed his starving family.
“The law is the law,” La Guardia declared. “I must therefore fine you $10.” When the man sadly confessed that he had no money, the judge took $10 out of his wallet and paid the fine. He also asked each person in the courtroom to contribute 50 cents to help the man.
Have you ever seen such generosity in your world?
Tags: grace, judgment, Law, stealing