Chapter LV: Different Kinds of Dishonesty.—wastefulness

ONE sort of dishonesty is wastefulness, which consists in a want of consideration for the property committed to one’s charge. Such waste may amount in value to very large sums of money in the long run. Many a family has been brought to ruin through a wasteful kitchen.

Suppose you know the place where small change, sixpences and five-cent pieces, are kept, and every little while you go there and take a handful to toss among the dirt; you can easily imagine what a havoc you would make with the income of the family.

Well, what is the difference, when you frequently destroy a shilling’s worth of butter, or five cents’ worth of tea or sugar; when you spoil a batch of bread by your negligence, allow milk and meat to spoil, or throw away victuals which can readily be put to a good use? Is not this scattering money right and left?

You have no right to do so. You are bound to take as much care of the things entrusted to you as if they were your own, and even more. If they were your own, you might have more liberty to dispose of them; but as it is, you are bound by justice towards those whom you have engaged to serve, and who recompense you for taking that care.

And whether they be rich or whether they be poor, does not alter the obligation. If it be a company, a corporation, or the government whom you serve, its property must be none the less sacred in your hands. It is the devil who puts it into your mind that it is of no consequence in such cases. He says: “Oh! never mind; you need not be so particular, they are rich; a little more or a little less is nothing to them.” The Blessed Saviour never thought of making any such exception. He expects faithfulness from you in all cases. You are His stewards; all that is entrusted to your care He regards as His own, no matter who the owner may be. And if He sees that you look at it in that light you will be very dear to Him.

Of St. Zita it is said, that although she was so engrossed with prayer, and thinking of God and heavenly things, she never neglected a duty, never suffered anything to go to waste by her negligence.

You remember that beautiful parable of the Lord’s, about the servants coming to give account of what they had done with their lord’s talents entrusted to them. One, with ten talents, had gained ten others. One, with five, had gained five others. They were rewarded abundantly. Then came the one who had hid his lord’s talent in the ground, and he was punished. So it is with servants. Some make good use of all that comes in their hands. They shall be rewarded. Others are wasteful, extravagant, destructive. They shall be punished by the Lord. For we are to do service as to the Lord, and not as man-pleasers.

Be not, then, eye-servants, doing your duty when your employer’s eye is upon you; but remember that the Lord’s eye sees you. Take care, take pains, use all the discretion and judgment God has given you; for it is not merely the hands, but the head also, which you must use in your daily tasks. Be in all respects like a prudent and careful owner in regard to his own property, and look to the Lord for your recompense. In this way you shall not fail in the great day to reap an abundant recompense, according to the Lord’s promise: “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these, ye have done it unto me” (St. Matt. xxv. 40).