Can You Ever Forgive Me?

John D. Rockefeller, the man who built the great Standard Oil Empire, was a person who demanded high performance from his company executives. Then, one day, one of those highly paid supervisors made a two million dollar mistake.

The report of the man's enormous error quickly spread throughout the executive offices, and his colleagues began to make themselves scarce. Afraid of Rockefeller's reaction, they didn't even want to cross his path.

One individual didn't have any choice, however, since he had an appointment with the boss. The guilty culprit worked for this man making him accountable to Rockefeller for his subordinate's costly blunder. So he straightened his tie, threw back his shoulders, tightened his belt and walked into Rockefeller's office struggling to hold his head up high.

As he approached the oil monarch's desk, Rockefeller looked up from the piece of paper upon which he was writing.

"I guess you've heard about the two million dollar mistake our friend made," he said abruptly.

"Yes," the executive said, expecting Rockefeller to explode.

"Well, I've been sitting here listing all of our friend's good qualities on this sheet of paper, and I've discovered in the past he has made us many more times the amount he lost for us by his one mistake. His good points far outweigh this one human error. So I think we ought to forgive him, don't you?"

When Rockefeller thought about this executive who cost him millions, he chose to dwell on how this person had been a blessing to his company. He made a decision to affirm him instead of tearing him down.

When someone offends you, is your tendency to tabulate how he or she wronged you on other occasions, or do you concentrate on their value to your life?

From You Can Win with Love by Dale Galloway.