Cousin Rufus on Hiring

Dear Cousin Cletus,

Folks down at Lem’s Gen’ral Store say some states don’t make people wear masks now. Business is back to usual down there.

That makes me think about a conversation Harley, mah grandson, had with his daddy-in-law. Harley’s wife’s daddy moved to Florida and got a job hirin’ people to work at a factory. And Harley tole him he oughta think about hirin’ church people thet live by the Good Book.

“Why is that?” he wanted to know.

“Well,” says Harley, “for one thing they won’t lie, cheat or steal.”

“What do ya mean?”

“It’s like this, Daddy,” says Harley. “They taught us in Sunday School it’s a sin to lie. An’ there’s more than one way to lie. A person can lie by words or actions. He can clock in and then goof off when the supervisor isn't around. That’s lying with your actions.” Or he can say, ‘No sir, I don’t know anything about who stole the tire off your truck,’ when really he does. Someone that lives by God’s Word won’t do that.

“Hm, never thought of that.”

“And somethin’ else, Daddy. Someone that lives by the Bible won’t be stealin’ tools from the factory. They’ll do like my granddaddy taught us: give an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay. And they won’t be sneakin’ out back, smokin’ weed.”

“You have a point, Harley.”

“You want somebody with a good attitude?” says Harley. “Get a guy or gal that follows the Lord. They’ll show up on time and work the hardest. They won’t cut corners. They’ll even do overtime to make quota, and do it with a good attitude.”

“Well, you gave me somethin’ to think about,” said the big hirin’ man.

“One more thing,” says Harley. “Just because somebody goes to church doesn’t mean they’re a Christian, any more than going into a garage makes them a car. You gotta watch how they live the other six days a week. If they hang out with the good-for-nothin’ crowd, they probably are as fake as a plug nickel.”

That was Harley’s two cents’ worth to his daddy-in-law, the big hirin’ and firin’ man. Ah hope he listens.

Your cuz,

Rufus

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