The Bargain

The Bargain

Teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just, and fair.

Proverbs 1:3

If you travel to a foreign country such as Israel, you will find an interesting tradition that we do not typically observe here in the States. In that culture it is extremely important that merchants make a sale to the first customer who enters their shops in the morning. They believe that if they make those initial sales, business for the rest of the day will go well. If they fail in their first attempts, the rest of the day will not be financially rewarding.

What that means, then, is that merchants hustle first customers really hard. Once my husband bought an expensive brass pitcher for four dollars, because he was the first customer in the shop that day.

Something similar happened on one of those downtown Manhattan streets where salesmen rush out and seize people by the arm.

“Look,” said a salesman eagerly to the man he had seized. “A fine suit—the best, nice cut, fine quality materials. To you, fifteen dollars.”

“No,” said the customer, trying to break free.

“Listen,” said the clothier, dragging his victim a little closer to the shop, “this is a very special cut, with cuffs even—the last suit. To you, special, twelve dollars.”

“No,” said the man, trying to pull away.

“An opportunity that shouldn’t be passed up,” continued the salesman. “Because it’s early, to start the day right, the first sale, eight dollars.”

“Nothing doing,” snarled the customer.

“Dear me!” wailed the proprietor, throwing his hands up into the air. “Such a person. To make the thing right, to start the day; I start something, I should finish it. I’m giving it to you for nothing.”

To which the customer replied, “Not without two pairs of pants!”

Father God, please help me to do what’s right, to be just, and to deal fairly with people every day as I live my life. I want to treat others as you do. Amen.