Ecclesiastes 11:1

As a dress manufacturer in Canada, I sold some goods to a man who owned a small retail operation in Montreal. I had heard that he was an upright, respectable man who ran an ethical business, so I gave him credit. According to the terms we had initially agreed to, he was supposed to pay his bill of $8,724 sixty days after receiving my shipment. I was very disheartened when my bookkeeper told me that he was delinquent on his payment.

We sent out three notices, which he ignored. Finally, I picked up the phone and called him. “What’s going on?” I inquired. “Look,” he sighed, “I’m really sorry but I can’t pay my bill. Business is terrible, and I may have to close. I don’t have a penny to my name.”

I didn’t know what to do. Should I take him to court? After all, $8,724 is not a negligible amount; I really needed that money! On the other hand, I felt bad for him; He was down on his luck – what could he really do?

I wrestled with myself for a long time, and finally concluded that I didn’t have the heart to sue the man. I heard later that he closed his business. But, my business prospered.

One day, I received a call from a woman. She was deliberately vague about her intentions, but my curiosity was piqued, so I agreed to see her. When she arrived, she revealed her identity: she was the daughter of the man who still owed me the $8,724.

“All these years, my father has felt terribly guilty about the debt he owes you,” she said. “He went bankrupt and was never able to stage a comeback. He still doesn’t have any money, but he asked me to give you this instead.” She then pulled a piece of jewelry out of her pocketbook and handed it to me.

It was a gold bracelet studded with diamonds. “It’s a family heirloom,” she told me, “and practically the only thing of value my father has left. He asked me to give it to you with his sincerest apologies and greatest hope that you will prosper. He doesn’t know how valuable it is, but he’s hoping it will bring you at least part of what he owes you.” At this point, I didn’t want to take it, but she insisted. So, I took it to an expert for an appraisal.

The appraiser examined the bracelet carefully and at length. Finally, after much time had elapsed, he turned to me and said excitedly: “This is a really valuable piece! It’s worth much more than you imagined. As a matter of fact, I would like to buy it from you. I’m prepared to give you $8,724.”

The exact amount, to the dollar, that the man had owed me!

Patrick Simone

Comment:
In our dog-eat-dog world, someone who acts generously can be made to feel like a fool. But, doing the generous thing, had clearly won the manufacturer the reward from a higher power. He retrieved what he was owed, and he prospered, spiritually and materially. He learnt the meaning of the scripture verse: “Cast your bread upon the waters for after a long time you will find it again.”

Fr. Hugh Duffy