If you discovered a priceless piece of art sitting out on a curb, what would you do?
In 1977, a Houston man bought the painting, Tres Personajes, as a gift for his wife. It was stolen ten years later. In 2003, Elizabeth Gibson found the painting in the trash on a New York City curb. She spent four years learning the history of the painting and eventually found the rightful owners. After she returned the artwork, they sold it at auction for $1,049,000. The owners gave Mrs. Gibson a reward of $15,000 plus an undisclosed portion of the sale price.
I know what some of you are thinking. Mrs. Gibson was rewarded with $15,000 plus an undisclosed portion of the sale price. Let’s say she got 10 percent, which would be about $100,000. Still, she gave up $1 million she could have had if she had kept the painting and sold it herself.
But I think Mrs. Gibson got a bargain. For that extra $1 million, she purchased a clean conscience. That’s a great deal!
What value do you put on honesty?
Recovery Step: Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field” (Matthew 13:44). Sometimes, that treasure is a rare painting. Other times, it is simply the peace of mind that comes from doing the right thing.
