Reward Of The Week

Should you expect a show of gratitude if you do the right thing or is sufficient, as it says in Matthew 5:12, to realise that great is your reward in heaven? Should there be a sliding scale between the value of the item lost and the amount the finder receives for returning to its rightful owner?

Someone who clearly believes that a reward should bear some relation to what is found is Anouar G from Frankfurt. He spotted a cheque on the railway platform made out in the favour of the sweet makers, Haribo, from the supermarket group, Rewe. The bank order was for the mouth-watering sum of €4,631,538.80.

Anouar reported his find to Haribo who advised him to destroy the cheque and to send photographic evidence that he had done so. These instructions Anouar duly carried out and a few days later, the grateful Haribo saw fit to reward him for his find, by sending him six packets of their sweets. Anouar was not impressed, but Haribo pointed out that this was their standard package that they send out as a thank you.

A moral conundrum, for sure.