Crocodiles More Trustworthy Than Men
According to the U.K. Guardian:
Indonesia's anti-drug czar wants to build a prison on an island and staff it with crocodiles because, as he correctly explains, "You can't bribe crocodiles."
"You can't convince (crocodiles) to let inmates escape," Budi Waseso told local media.
The proposed prison was inspired by the croc-filled island in the James Bond film Live and Let Die. The Guardian further quotes Waseso as saying,
"We will place as many crocodiles as we can there. I will search for the most ferocious type of crocodile."
The prison will house death row drug convicts, the report says.
Rather than search for more trustworthy men, this anti-drug czar has decided that it’s a lot easier to find more ferocious crocodiles. That’s because a croc can be depended on, while the duplicitous nature of man, by contrast, cannot.
“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be” (James 3:9-10).
Like a broken tooth or a lame foot is reliance on the unfaithful in a time of trouble (Proverbs 25:19).
Life Test In A Box of Old Nails And Screws
In his book MAKING TODAY COUNT FOR ETERNITY, author Kent Crockett recounts the story of a hardware store manager who wanted to test the integrity and character of prospective employees. He sent one young man up to the attic to pick through a large box of old nails and screws, separating useable from the refuse. The attic was stifling hot:
The young man spent hours looking through the box, separating usable nails and screws from things that should be thrown away. When he picked up one of the last items in the box, he noticed a twenty-dollar bill lying on the bottom. He grabbed the bill, raced downstairs, and said, "ooh, Mr Peters! Look what I found in the box--twenty dollars!" Then he handed the money to the boss. Mr. Peters … knew he could trust the boy to work in his store. ...
He wanted to see if the boy would complete the job and keep a good attitude, even though he didn't understand why he was doing seemingly useless work. He had also planted a twenty-dollar bill at the bottom of the box to test his employee's honesty. If the boy didn't report finding the money, how could Mr. Peters trust him with the cash register? And by finishing the job in the hot attic and giving the money to his boss rather than pocketing it, he proved that he was both faithful and honest. Years later, when Mr. Peters retired, he turned his business over to the young man to manage.
Kent Crockett graduated from Texas A&M University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and is the senior pastor of the Church of Living Water in Prattville, Alabama. He is the author of The 911 Handbook, Making Today Count for Eternity, and I Once Was Blind but Now I Squint, and has been published in a number of Christian magazines.
Crockett concludes:
Did you know that life on earth is also a test? All our earthly responsibilities--even the ones that seem insignificant--are in the old juke box in the attic. God is watching us to see if we will faithfully sort through life's experiences, keeping the good, throwing out the junk, exhibiting a positive attitude when we don't understand, and finishing our work. If we prove ourselves to be good and faithful during our early test, God will grant us far greater duties in the next life.
"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'" (Matthew 25:21).
Investing In the Thank You Economy
In an article for the leading business magazine FORBES, author and bottom-line business expert David Horsager encourages companies to look at Thanksgiving as more than a holiday on the calendar. "If we think about gratitude only once a year," he says, "we overlook the immense power of practicing it daily, especially in a business context."
A recent study by Bersin & Associates underscores the bottom-line implications of saying thank you in the workplace. It reveals that companies that “excel at employee recognition” are 12 times more likely to enjoy strong business results. If you aren’t already a believer in the thank you economy, just think about what it can mean to your business if you embrace the power of gratitude.
Horsager goes on to say that one of the key impacts of gratitude is the element of trust that it instills in a relationship. When we express gratitude to one another, we are indirectly communicating that we respect the other person's value and are vested in their welfare. We can be trusted.
A company filled with mutual trust and respect is a successful company.
David Horsager, M.A., C.S.P, is an author, entrepreneur, professor, and award-winning keynote speaker who researches and speaks on the bottom-line impact of trust. David’s signature speech and nationally best selling book, The Trust Edge, have inspired leaders and motivated teams toward greater results on four continents and across the U.S.
Do you want a successful relationship with God? With other believers? With your church family? Invest in gratitude. A life characterized by mutual trust and respect is a successful life. If you aren’t already a believer in the thank you economy, as Horsager suggests, just think about what it can mean to your relationships--not just with your coworkers and company, but with God and your brothers and sisters in Christ--if you embrace the power of gratitude. It is the one sure way to communicate respect and value while instilling trust.
"For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared respected and revered above all gods" (1 Chronicles 16:25).