Leap of Faith

Leap of Faith

December 2014

A businessman was in debt and couldn’t figure a way out of it. Creditors were pressing him, suppliers were demanding, and finances had dried up. One evening, in despair, he sat on a park bench with his head down, wondering how he could save his company from bankruptcy. Suddenly, an old man appeared in front of him. “I see that something is bothering you,” he said.

He heard out the businessman and then said: “I think I can help you.” He asked the businessman what his name was, wrote him a cheque and shoving it into his hands, he said, “Take this money. We will meet here exactly in one year, and you will be able to return it to me at that time.” After that, he turned around and disappeared. The businessman saw a cheque in his hands for an amount of $500,000, signed by John Rockefeller, at that time, among the richest men in the world!

“I could end all of my problems in no time!” he thought. But instead, the businessman decided to put the cheque into his safe. The thought of the money in his safe, and Rockfellar’s faith in him gave him strength. With the return of his optimism, he concluded profitable deals. Within a couple of months he got out of debt and started to earn money again. Exactly one year later, he returned to the park with the same cheque.

At the agreed time the old man appeared again. Just as the businessman stood up to return the cheque and to share his story of success, a nurse ran up and grabbed the old man.

“I’m so glad, I caught him!,” she exclaimed. “I hope he wasn’t bothering you. He runs away from the house and claims to be John Rockefeller.”

The businessman stood there, bemused. Suddenly, he understood that it was not the money, real or imaginary, that had turned his life up. It was his newfound confidence that gave him strength, to achieve everything that he had now.