Pay Up!
CBNMoney.com A construction company was involved in building a specialty plant for a large international company. When the building project began experiencing difficulties, the international company informed this contractor that they were not going to pay them over $700,000, even though they had no legitimate reason. When the contractor threatened to stop work, they were reminded that they had signed a contract that said in the case of disputes, the job had to be completed before any disagreements could be taken to an arbitrator.
The arbitration process can take a year or more, so that meant this construction company had to be able to survive without their $700,000, or negotiate a settlement for a lot less money. That appears to be what the international company had counted on. Settling jobs for 50% of what was really owed has become a common way for this international company to make jobs more profitable.
In business, there are people who are so determined to make money that they do not care who suffers. Since this international company is the largest in their industry, they will likely find hungry contractors to bid their work in the future, but eventually they will suffer the consequences. Contractors, who haven’t already, will learn of their unscrupulous practices, and begin to pad their bids for the risk of not getting paid.
Romans 13:7-8 teaches, “Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.”
To build a reputation of integrity in business, adherence to this passage is critical. If you owe someone money, do the right thing - pay up!
Rick Boxx is the President of Integrity Resource Center (IRC), a nonprofit ministry providing biblically-based resources, training and counsel to business and ministry leaders. You can learn more about IRC by visiting their web site at www.integritymoments.com or by emailing Rick at rboxx@IntegrityMoments.com.
