Doing what's right, not profitable

Ps 15:2-3a, 3bc-4ab, 5
He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.

He who walks blamelessly and does justice;
who thinks the truth in his heartand slanders not with his tongue.

Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;

By whom the reprobate is despised,
while he honors those who fear the LORD.

Who lends not his money at usuryand accepts no bribe against the innocent.

He who does these things shall never be disturbed.


Every weekday morning as I’m driving to Mass (if I go in the morning) and listening to the radio, there is a nun—Sister Ann Shields—who discusses the readings of the day. Usually it’s the Gospel or one of the readings that finds its way into my heart. Today was different.

For the last couple of days I’ve been in Bakersfield getting the paperwork and other tasks done that allows me, or rather my employer to auction off the goods in storage rooms that belong to people who have fallen behind on their monthly payments. It’s a part of my job that I hate—not because the work is hard (it is)—but because I feel for these people. Granted, there are some who fall behind in their payments who are simply irresponsible and actually deserve to have their goods sold, but as a rule most are people who have been wronged by others or made bad choices in life and had no other recourse but to put their goods in storage while they try to build a new life.

Believe me I’ve heard all of the reasons. I’ve heard of lost jobs, criminal convictions and jail time, divorce proceedings where one spouse is hiding stuff from another, the list goes on and on. While I don’t believe most of the stories, it doesn’t matter to me. Most of this stuff is stuff that will wind up at a flea market or in a trash bin. My feeling is why not just give it back to the original owner? So that’s what I do, or what I think Christ would do. I offer to negotiate a settlement with them if they just come down and get it out. Usually I tell them they don’t have to pay me anything—just get the stuff out! It’s better for me to just let it go and rent the room to someone who CAN pay, than to go through the expense of sending letters, running newspaper ads and spending a fortune on lock cutting tools each month. Sometimes it means writing off thousands of dollars, because I wait so long to exhaust every means of contacting them.

I’m very successful in finding these people, and when I do I offer them the free move outs, and many of them break down in tears and thank me from the bottoms of their hearts. Occasionally I get a letter of thanks that will say I have answered a prayer in helping someone not lose everything they own. I, in turn give glory to God for giving me the opportunity to help a fellow brother or sister in Christ through a difficult situation.

The thought ran through my mind after reading the Psalms this morning that maybe I’ve helped to right an injustice done to them by others and I can “walk in the presence of the Lord.”