How Much Is The Truth Worth To You?

John Stevens was shocked when his best friend Paul Linton sued him. Nodding after reading the summons to attend court, he grinned, thinking, “This makes no sense.”

John enlists the help of Paul’s brother and other family members. A meeting was arranged. The time and place was set, and they met at Paul’s home.

“Why are you suing me for the recovery of loss of income?” John demands as several family members stare at him from across the table. “I don’t employ you.”

“You recommended a carpenter whom you said did a great job for you?” Paul answered.

“Was it Junior, Patsy’s son?” John’s wife, Linette asked.

Paul nods.

“But he didn’t do a good job for us!” she revealed as her husband glared at her angrily.

“He is just learning that trade,” another family member informs.

“I told John not to hire him because it will cost him more,” someone else reveals.

“But you knew that Paul is just growing his business and will need professional carpenters and tradesmen to represent him and his business,” another family member said in anger.

“You know word of mouth carries more weight and doesn’t hide the truth. His future clients will find out the type of people he hires and reject him and his business,” someone else adds.

“But you know Paul,” another family member said. “He is a hard worker and always gives his best.”

“How could you try to taint his reputation and business,” another angry voice vents.

More than ten pairs of furious eyes aimed at John like darts aimed at a bull’s eye on a dart board in a bar.

“Why did you lie to your best friend to get him to hire a novice?” John’s wife asked, easing towards him. “How could you? Didn’t you think he deserved the truth for all the years of love and kindness he gave to our family? “

“How much did his incompetent decision cost you?” Another family member demands, his eyes swaying from John to Paul.

“You mean besides my reputation, about ten thousand dollars!” Paul replied nodding in frustration, regret, and disappointment.

“You did the right thing taking him to court and all of us will stand behind you!” Bryan, one of John’s cousins employed by Paul said, glancing around, getting the approval of everyone.

Even Linette, his wife agreed saying, “You rewarded him by paying him extra for his sloppy job.”

“You did what!” the others cried out with popped eyes.

John sighed in shock, then defended his action, “You all have forgotten that all of us must start from somewhere!”

“Yes, we do,” Paul threw back quickly. “But when someone does something horrible, you don’t reward him and congratulate him. He will believe that he did a great job and repeat his mistakes.”

“Like he did on the job last week and cost Paul’s company ten thousand dollars,” Anthony, one of Paul’s foremen said.

“You don’t understand,” John moans. “He is young and inexperience and . . .”

“He is thirty-eight years old,” someone tells his age.

“But he looks like a child,” another family member adds.

“He was inexperienced and you didn’t think I should have known that?” Paul hits back with. “You have been my best friend for more than thirty years. I didn’t believe that I had to ask for more because I thought you were adding an asset to my company.”

“I just wanted to help him,” John pleaded.

“To do what? Destroy my reputation and business?” Paul demands an answer.

“You can’t send a boy to do a man’s job without warning!” Anthony screamed at him before he could answer. “You should have warned us that he is just learning!”

Reality slapped John across his face and he dropped down in his seat apologizing, “I am so sorry. I just wanted to help him. How much do I owe you for the damage I did by lying to help someone?”

This piece is true. When someone works for you and doesn’t do a good job, don’t reward them and give them the impression that they did a great job. Tell them about their mistakes, so they can learn from them and not repeat them. You could be held accountable if you recommend them for a job and they repeat their mistakes. The truth really does make us better.

If your heart could speak, what would it say?

When we don’t make it a responsibility to know and appreciate the value of the truth, it will cost us and others who rely on our ability to be honest and authentic.

The ones who give us honesty also provide us with love and save our lives. Everyone wants their version of the truth, even those who don’t want to give it. Annelise Lords

Thank you for reading this piece. I hope you enjoyed it.