There’s a story told of a young builder who had to learn the lesson of integrity the hard way. He married a building contractor’s daughter and the father-in-law wanted to give a boost to his new son-in-law. “Son,” he said, “I don’t want you to start at the bottom where I did. So I want you to go out and build the most tremendous house this town has ever seen, put the best of everything in it, make it a palace, and turn it over to me.”

Well this was an opportunity to make a killing. He hurried out to slap together a building that would survive two fairly stiff gales. In short order he was back to dear old dad. “Well, Dad, it’s finished.”

“Is it tremendous, is it a palace like I asked?”

“Yes-siree, Dad.”

“Is it really the finest house ever built, son?”

“Yes-siree, Dad.”

“All right, where is the bill? Is there a good profit in it for you?”

“Yes-siree, Dad.”

“Very good. Here is your cheque, and where is the deed?”

As he looked at the deed, the father said, “I didn’t tell you why I wanted that house to be the best house ever built. I wanted to do something special for you and my daughter to show you how much I love you… here take the deed, go live in the house – you built it for yourself!”

The young gold-digger crept out a shattered, frustrated man. He thought he was making a fortune at his father’s expense by saving money of inferior materials and short-cuts, but he cheated only himself.

Charlie Jones

Source: Charlie Jones, 1968, Life Is Tremendous, Wheaton Illinois: Living Books, Tyndale House Publishers, p39-40

There’s a story told of a young builder who had to learn the lesson of integrity the hard way. He married a building contractor’s daughter and the father-in-law wanted to give a boost to his new son-in-law. “Son,” he said, “I don’t want you to start at the bottom where I did. So I want you to go out and build the most tremendous house this town has ever seen, put the best of everything in it, make it a palace, and turn it over to me.”

Well this was an opportunity to make a killing. He hurried out to slap together a building that would survive two fairly stiff gales. In short order he was back to dear old dad. “Well, Dad, it’s finished.”

“Is it tremendous, is it a palace like I asked?”

“Yes-siree, Dad.”

“Is it really the finest house ever built, son?”

“Yes-siree, Dad.”

“All right, where is the bill? Is there a good profit in it for you?”

“Yes-siree, Dad.”

“Very good. Here is your cheque, and where is the deed?”

As he looked at the deed, the father said, “I didn’t tell you why I wanted that house to be the best house ever built. I wanted to do something special for you and my daughter to show you how much I love you… here take the deed, go live in the house – you built it for yourself!”

The young gold-digger crept out a shattered, frustrated man. He thought he was making a fortune at his father’s expense by saving money of inferior materials and short-cuts, but he cheated only himself.

Charlie Jones

Source: Charlie Jones, 1968, Life Is Tremendous, Wheaton Illinois: Living Books, Tyndale House Publishers, p39-40