Paul the Roofer

Roofer
courtesy photobucket.com

 

When you are in the construction business, the Material Supply House is a good place to meet other contractors and make good contacts.

One day my husband met a gentleman named Paul, and he said out right that he was a Christian, and needed some help. 

Paul had been selling small repair jobs and doing his own work, and he also mentioned that he had a large family of six to feed.

Now Paul had some larger orders he could sell, but he had a big problem. 

For some reason, he had not been able to pass the State Contractors Test and obtain his own license to do jobs that required the entire roof to be replaced. 

He proposed an idea to my husband and promised to give him a percentage of the payment if he could use our contracts to sell his larger jobs.  We would pay him to install the roof and give him a commission for the sale.  He promised to collect and we would not need to bill his customers.

My husband felt sorry for him and told him, “Let’s give it a try and see how it goes.”

All went well for a time, until one lady did not pay for her roof.  Paul said she was recently widowed and hoped she would make payments. 

We billed her and waited, and waited. 

 

Finally the lady wrote us and said she had no money, but she had a buildable lot in Los Angeles that she would deed over to us if we would accept it as payment for her roof.

Paul agreed not to take a commission, and we agreed to accept the vacant lot.  Many years later when a real estate broker contacted us, we sold the lot for the price of the roof.

Then one day, it happened.  We received a phone call about one of the roofs Paul had installed.  It was leaking. 

Our records did not show that Paul had turned in this roofing job to us.  I took all the information from the lady, and told her we would take care of it.

Robert and I had a discussion, and it was decided that Robert would give me the job to “FIRE” Paul.  Thanks a Lot Robert!

I phoned Paul and asked him to come to our home/office as there was something we needed to discuss. 

When he arrived, I asked him to tell me about the roof for Mrs. Jones (not her real name.)

His face reddened and I could tell he knew all about it.  “Paul, you have not been truthful, and our only option is to break our agreement with you, and leave you on your own. 
 

I told him that Robert was not very happy with this latest event, and we hoped that he would try again to get his own license.  "We forgive you, but we can NO longer do business with you, and we wish you well."

In life we hope to be able to trust others, but there are times when we are deceived, and betrayed. 

 

Jesus was betrayed by his close friend, but he forgave and went on to fulfill his assignment. 

 

May we learn to forgive and go on and complete the work we have been given.

 

This post has been linked to Michelle’s Thought Provoking Thursday

 

Also Shared with Gail at T.G.I.F. and Bible Love notes

Also shared with Jenny at her Friday Flash Blog