PEOPLE ARE JUST NO GOOD?

From TODAY, Voices
Friday October 17, 2008

By Dr James Dobson

Are you convinced that you just can’t trust anyone anymore?

Steven Brille was certain that people, for the most part, are just no good, and he wanted to prove it.

So one day, he masqueraded as a rich foreigner in New York City and began hailing taxis. Each time he flashed a wad of money and gave the driver a destination just a few blocks away. He was sure that most of them would find a way to take advantage of him, but he was in for a surprise.

Out of 37 drivers, only one cheated him. The rest took him directly to his destination and gave him back the correct change.

In fact, several got out of their cabs and pointed him in the right direction and told him that he could save the money, if he didn’t mind walking a few blocks.

The greatest irony, though, was that several of the drivers warned him to be careful of how he flaunted his money. “New York is full of crooks,” they told him.

This is a true story, and we need to hear it. We are so bombarded with bad news that it’s easy to begin losing faith in humanity.

But the truth is, most people are decent and honest, and when given a chance, they’ll do the right thing.