Trustworthiness

17/06/2012
Fr. Jose Kaimlett

Trustworthiness

Horror gripped the heart of a World War I soldier as he saw his lifelong friend fall in battle. Caught in a trench with continuous gunfire whizzing over his head the soldier asked his lieutenant if he could go out into the ‘no man’s land’ between the trenches to bring his fallen comrade back.

“You can go,” said the lieutenant, “but [ don’t think it will be worth it. Your friend is probably dead and you may throw your life away.” The Lieutenant’s words did n~t convince him and the soldier went anyway. Miraculously, he managed to reach his friend hoisted him onto his shoulder and brought him back’ to their regiment’s trench. As the two of them tumbled in together to the bottom of the trench, the officer checked the wounded soldier and then looked kindly at his friend.

“I told you it wouldn’t be worth it,” he said. “Your friend is dead and you are mortally wounded.”

“It was worth it, sir,” said the soldier.

“What do you mean by worth it?” responded the Lieutenant. “Your friend is dead.”

“Yes Sir,” the private answered, “but it was worth it because when I got to him, he was still alive and I got the chance to hear him say” … Jim … i knew you would come.”

………………….

The greatest and the best compliment a man can ever have, perhaps, is to be told that “He is trustworthy.” A man who would risk his own life for maintaining his promise is one of the best specimens of humanity – no doubt rare.

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