To Lie or not to lie.. A lesson from Marcus Einfeld story

On Monday morning, I read one small paragraph story about a judge in Sydney who was sentenced to three years prison due to lying to the court about his previous mistakes. I was interested, so I tried to read his story again in the printed version of the newspaper in the Internet, but the document was too small to read. So I tried to google, with the key words “ judge, Sydney, speed limit, fine, prison“. And surprisingly just in 0.02 second there were over 2.000 results.

Here was the story in short..

His name was Marcus Einfeld, 70. He has been a leading human right lawyer for more than 30 years, serving as Federal Court judge for 15 years and a prominent member of the Jewish community. He was a Queen’s counsel, National Trust living treasure and a director of 13 companies and trusts, a patron of many organisation, president of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission and a father of four children.

Well, a former Federal Court judge with a lot of credentials is also a human. So he made an error like what a human does. On January 8, 2006 his car was captured by a speed camera doing 60 km/h in a 50 km/h zone. If he drove in Jakarta, no one will even bother, unless you bump into someone’s car. However in Sydney, it was considered minor traffic offence, that caused $77 fine and three demerit points.

Normal response would be admitting the offense, pay the fine, got three additional demerit points and close the case. But it seems that it has never been the option for Mr. Einfeld. So, what the heck, I’ll blame it on my dead friend! In the court hearing in August 2006 (7 months after the offence), he declared in a 20-page statement that his friend, an American college professor Teresa Brennan, had been driving the car at that time.

Maybe Mr. Einfeld forgot that today there is no secret that can be hidden from the media, especially when you are a public figure. It did not take long before a Daily Telegraph reporter confronted him with the fact that Brennan had been dead for three years.

The story went on with him trying to make another excuse that eventually proven as lies. So, finally one minor traffic offense lead him to three years in prison. Not to mention the ruin of his good name, which will need much more longer than three years to restore.

Major Australian newspapers wrote various title from : Former judge Einfeld jailed over $77 speeding fine (Malcolm Knox,Sydney Morning Herald, March 20, 2009), A man without honour (Malcolm Knox,Sydney Morning Herald, March 21, 2009), Jail completes Marcus Einfeld's fall (Michael Pelly, The Australian, March 20, 2009).

Maybe he should have not picked a person who has deceased three years before the accident as a scapegoat, or he should have just admitted the fault. Just can’t imagine why he should bother to lie over this minor offense, which if admitted, would not cause disgrace for him, his family and friends, or what one article said "a spectacular fall from grace for the man once hailed a national "living treasure" (Michael Pelly, The Australian, March 20, 2009).

One of the article mentioned that should Mr. Einfeld admitted his offense, he would have three additional demerit points to his previous 6 demerit points. It was one shy from having his driving license revoked and not being able to enjoy driving his car anywhere and anytime. Well, there was one motive, or maybe lying has become a habit in his life.

Does lying have lower consequence than breaking the traffic regulation? It is so easy to do even by 2 years old child until 90 years old grandpa, from a housewife, taxi driver, a businessman to a president.

I am not a saint myself. Sometimes I only say half truth to my customer, then on another day one lies just come out of my mouth to please someone, or to escape from my promise. At first I feel guilty, but as time goes by, when I did it again, the easier for me to spell a lie. And it scares me...I don’t want to be the next Marcus Einfeld or other great person who falls from grace because of lying. There are so many living examples around us.

Jesus said “Let your Yes be simply Yes and your No be simply No; anything more than that comes from the evil one” ( Matthew 5:37, The Amplified Bible). One thing I learn from this story is every word we say has consequence, either it is a truth or a lie. Maybe no one will ever caught up our lies until we die, but there is nothing hidden before our Lord and our own heart.

At the end, the lesson I learned today is to ask my Lord to guard my thoughts and give me wisdom on what I should say to people who connect with me. As far as my part, I promise to be truthful to myself, to Him and to others around me

Article source :
· Former judge Einfeld jailed over $77 speeding fine (Malcolm Knox,Sydney Morning Herald, March 20, 2009),
· A man without honour (Malcolm Knox,Sydney Morning Herald, March 21, 2009),
· Jail completes Marcus Einfeld's fall (Michael Pelly, The Australian, March 20, 2009).

Didn't we Almost have it all

Saturday morning, while driving to my office , my car radio channel played one familiar old song ...Didn’t we almost have it all from Whitney Houston.

Didn’t we almost have it all
When love was all we had worth giving?
The ride with you was worth the fall my friend
Loving you makes life worth living
Didnt we almost have it all
The night we held on till the morning
You know you’ll never love that way again
Didn’t we almost have it all

Then it occurs in my mind, wouldn’t it be so sad, if this lyric keep happening in our life. We almost have it all, but it didn’t happen. But on the other hand, if the reverse happens, wouldn’t it be so wonderful ? We almost didn’t have it all, but we did !

Almost means nearly, not exactly, not yet or not in fact, but very close to being or happening as described.

Moses almost get in to the Promised Land, Job almost lossed all his possesion, family and faith in God, Peter almost lost his soul when he denied Jesus thee times, and the young rich guy almost get into the Kingdom of God.

In the reality we face so many “almost” situation. Either we almost loose our temper or we almost closed our business deal. From getting so near to miss the flight schedule, to so close to saying what the heck I give up. Any decision will have consequences, the degree of severeness depends on the seriousness of situation.

Did Jesus ever experience “Almost” situation? One night before He was crucified, He spent His time in Gethsemane, asking Father until three times, should there be any chance not to drink the cup of sorrow, death, curse, sin and separation. Never written in the Gospel, what the Father answered. But then it is written in the next verse, that Jesus was calmer and confident when He woke up His 3 disciples for the final times..preparing them for His life mission being accomplished.

Me and million others who receive Jesus as Lord and saviour are forever grateful that Jesus did and still do have it all...salvation, forgiveness, mercy and grace. He passed the critical situation, when His split decision will affect the eternity.

We almost didn’t have it all, but we did and still do. We have all the good things He has prepared for us, because of His decision two thousand years ago. Until today there were some decision in my life, that caused me to loose things or opportunities because of my impatience and recklessness. It’s a lifetime learning process, and I learn from my past mistakes.

But whenever I come across to the next “almost” situation, I will always remember that I’m gonna sing the revised verse of Whitney Houston refrain - “I almost didn’t have it all...”

Having Jesus as My Colleague

I imagine, If Jesus worked with me as my colleague, what would I do differently than what I do now. Now I work as property agent in one of the apartment in Jakarta. For sure He would become my “Most Favourite” Colleague, the one I will always turns to when problem comes.

· On dealing with “naughty” customer
He would be so patient dealing with our antique customers, opposite from my grumbling and cross words.One of my customer really tests my patience with keep on breaking his promises to pay due rental fee. I have threatened him from penalty to evacuation, but to no avail. And it seems that he just do not want to pay. If only I could ask Jesus to just put some situation on him (curse is too harsh words), like – can not talk until he pays the balance payment, or make his nose longer like Pinokio, everytime he breaks his promises...that would be so cool!

But I know He would not grant my request. He will asked me to keep on asking payment firmly and politely, reminding him again that a man should be honoured by his words. Well, I may try that plus asking His trusted messenger, Gabriel, to help reminding my dear customer about his responsibility.

· On handling so many complaints
One day without complaint on the unit from my tenants, is a blessed day. From ordinary complaint like cold water heater, hot air conditioner, broken intercom, leakage on kitchen sink until unclear TV channel. Sometimes I just got bored and frustrated...did I do something useful in my life, dealing with these kind of problems every day ? So if I asked my powerful Colleague to just eliminate all these problems just by saying “ Breakage/Leakage/etc go to the sea!”, would He say yes?

Ehm..on secound thought I don’t think so. Most probably He would remind me that whatever I do (as small as it seems)to solve these problems is assisting my tenants to do better in their life. When I am faithful in small things, greater things will be entrusted to me, and it helped me to learn problem solving skill as well as exercising my patience.

· On communicating with different people
Well, I meet many type of people in my job, and I am grateful that most of them are kindhearted and hardworking people with their own unique personalities. I would ask my favourite Colleague how to have better relation quality with them...more than business as usual. Then one of His advise would be me becoming genuinely interested with their personal life, their joy and problem in life. Keep my promises and earn their trust with clean heart, and in time they will open their hearts to me.

And I am not just imagining, for Jesus lives in me and He is truly my only trusted and most favourite colleague in my workplace.