Scarred Hands

A small orphaned boy lived with his grandmother. One night their house caught fire. While trying to rescue the little boy who was sleeping upstairs, the grandmother died in the smoke and flames.

A crowd gathered around the burning house, where the boy's cries for help could be heard above the blaze. No one knew what to do.

Suddenly, a man rushed from the crowd and circled to the back where he spotted an iron pipe that reached the upstairs window. He disappeared for a minute, then reappeared with the boy in his arms. Amid the cheers of the crowd, he climbed down the hot pipe as the boy held on his neck.

Weeks after, a public hearing was held in the town hall to determine in whose custody the boy would be placed. Since no relative was left to take care of the boy, city legislation requires that the boy be given up for adoption only to highly qualified persons. Each person interested in adopting the boy was allowed to speak briefly.

One man said, "I have a big farm. Everybody needs the out-of-doors." Another boasted of his work: "I'm a teacher. I have a large library. He would get a good education." The richest man in the community spoke last and topped it all with, "I could give the boy everything mentioned tonight. The farm, education and more, including money and travel. I'd like him in my home."

When the chairman asked if anyone else wanted to say anything before he closed the session, a stranger rose from the back. As he walked toward the front, deep suffering showed on his face. Once in front, he stood directly in front of the little boy. Slowly the stranger removed his hands from his pockets. The crowd gasped and when he looked up, so did the little boy.

The man's hands were terribly scarred. Suddenly the boy gave out a cry of recognition - this was the man who had saved his life. His hands were scarred from climbing up and down the hot pipe. The boy leaped up, threw himself around the stranger, and held on for life. The farmer rose and left. So did the teacher. Then the rich man. The stranger had won the boy without a word. His hands spoke more efficiently than any words could have.

Now think about this. If you would apply this story to your work, you just have to ask yourself these questions:

Have I scarred my hands with work so that when the next round of promotions come, the scars on my hands would speak louder that the voice from my lips? Have I done my job and did it well?

Have I the scars to show a heroic attempt to do my job well, unmindful of the pains and the difficulties associated with the job, but accomplishing with fervor and excellence?

If you have, then you will not need words to win that position. You can win that promotion with scarred hands.

Today's mighty Japan can proudly show scars of hard work, scars from two atomic bombs, and scars of selfless dedication to their work and to their country. Japan is what it is today because it can show the scars in the hardworking hands of its history and of its people.

Friends, we need scars, too. We need to do our part wherever we are, to live a life of total dedication and to give selflessly for the benefit of your company and our country. We should work for scars of merit, scars of honor.

Jesus Christ took on the greatest scar when he gave His life for us. The sinless one became sin as He took upon Himself all our sins. By his scars we are healed. That's what salvation is all about.
- Francis J. Kong
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Lessons learned:

1. Utang na loob.
2. Actions speak loudly than words.