Ransom for Life
“A person’s riches are the ransom for his life, but the poor person hears no threats.” Mendoza intoned the words as if from memory.
Ranell turned to cast a perplexed glance at his friend. The statement seemed familiar. “Is that from the Bible?” he asked respectfully. But inside he couldn’t help thinking, right now I need a solution, not a sermon.
“Proverbs.” Mendoza nodded. “I’m not sure of the chapter, maybe thirteen… but I think the message applies to you now.”
Ranell tried to consider the message but impatiently cast aside the thought. “What ransom, Father? And what do you mean, ‘A poor person hears no threats?’ How could my employees be any more threatened than they are now?”
“Josef, you are making a mistake by conflating all these things together in your mind.” Mendoza held up one finger to make his point. “I speak with authority, my son. I was in Venezuela when the bishops led the charge for Maduro’s removal.” He dropped his finger and re-clasped his hands behind his back with a sigh. “That was a long time ago, but I remember it well. I remember how it felt to me then. We lost everything too.”
They shared a look as deep understanding flowed between them.
Something in Ranell’s heart loosened. My employees can’t possibly have it as bad as the Venezuelans did.
Mendoza seemed to sense that Ranell was now ready to listen. “Is it to be bankruptcy then? Are you sure? There are no other options available?”
Hearing the words spoken aloud like that forced Ranell to finally stop denying the terrible reality he’d been fighting against for so long. Another tension chord snapped inside him, causing him to slouch. He nodded.
“Hmm… Ok. Está terminado.” Instead of sympathy for Ranell’s predicament, Mendoza straightened his shoulders and issued a judgment, “Then that is the ransom for your life, Josef.”
“My life?”
“I asked you before, ‘Did you do your best?’ I ask again now, did you?”
Ranell was perplexed. I didn’t save the company. I didn’t save anybody. Yeah, I practically killed myself doing it, but I didn’t win. “I tried, Father. I really tried...”
Ranell couldn’t hold back any longer, and he began to sob. Mendoza embraced him.
After a few moments passed, Mendoza suddenly pushed Ranell away by the shoulders and peered into his eyes, “Did you steal? Did you murder anyone? Did you lose your faith in God?”
Ranell was shocked by the questions. “No, no,” he stammered. “Nothing like that!”
Mendoza squinted suspiciously. “Were you ever tempted to do any of those things?”
Ranell was caught in the power of Mendoza’s penetrating gaze. Then he remembered something. “There was a man, a Chinese man. His name was Hétóng Rén. He offered to buy all our airships. But we turned him down.”
“Why?” Demanded Mendoza.
Ranell thought about the question. Maybe we should have taken that deal. He finally answered, “We didn’t trust him, I guess. It was pretty obvious that it was just a ploy by the CCP to corner the rare earth markets. We would’ve been making a deal with the devil.”
Mendoza released his vice-like hold on Ranell's shoulders and nodded sagely. “That may be more true than you will ever know, my son. I know you are worried about your company, and your country, but these things come and go. The real battle, the eternal struggle, is what I am trying to show you now.”
“Are you saying I passed some sort of test?” Ranell asked.
“You faced temptation and rejected it.” Mendoza beamed. “Yes. You could say you passed the test.”
“So, this is my life?” Ranell was beginning to understand.
“Si. This is your life that has been ransomed and redeemed.” Mendoza gestured that they should continue walking. “This is what really matters.”
Choose Option 1: What About the Employees?
Choose Option 2: How could God let this Happen?