It was a business trip and Tom went to see Jack about one of Jack's contractual employees. Tom was an Attorney and his client had some plans for the employee in question if only Jack would work with him. Much money would have been made for all three parties. One problem, Jack was a Certified Jerk. There were two meetings between Tom and Jack. Place yourself in the shoes of Tom. Within seconds of the start of the first meeting, Jack lives up to his reputation by laughing and belittling as well as calling Tom a curse word. As they walk out the door, Jack forcefully grabs Tom, raises his voice and uses multiply ethnic slurs toward Tom. The same pattern exists at the second meeting which ends as Tom leaves for the airport.
DISCUSSION: All thru both scenes, Tom retains his composure. In the face of being laughed at, being belittled in front of others, being called an S.O.B., threatened Tom doesn't retaliate! He doesn't start calling Jack names nor does he make a physical move toward him. Incredibly, Tom praises Jack's work, never raises his voice, treats him with dignity and respect when far too many others would have had to be restrained. Does this story sound at all familiar to you? Did the makers of the Godfather movies actually plan a scene which teaches us Christian response to difficult people like Jack? This scene is Tom Hagen visiting movie executive Jack Woltz in regards to Johnny Fontaine. I've used this very example many times when addressing our firm's people dealing with other difficult people and it comes directly from our Bible! We are NOT, in any way, shape, form or regard to "get even" with anyone. If Tom would have starting insulting Jack, Tom would have done three things...trying to get even, soiling the legal profession and if Tom was a Christian, destroying his witness. Yes, Tom was a mob attorney but even then, an attorney needs to practice a certain professional decorum and that's exactly what Tom did. How about us? What do you do when somebody cuts you off in traffic? Suppose somebody is playing work-place politics and you are on the short end of the stick? What about an unreasonable demanding, impatient spouse who married you just to use you? Tom stayed silent thru the garbage and trust me, often times that's the best and only way to respond and retain your Christian witness. Trust me, any time I responded to someone like Jack, I did so thinking "that'll show him". "What I said, will be so powerful, he (or she) will change in a heartbeat", I thought! Guess what? it didn't! I always walked away feeling I didn't say enough, didn't say it right or boldly enough. Bottom line: I should have just said nothing. God knows what's going on! He has ears and eyes. Our job is to respond like a Christian, a lot like Tom Hagen did in that first Godfather movie. You can get even physically, doing vandalism, doing something to make life difficult for some who offended you. Or...you can do what's right and let God handle the rest. What about you???
DISCUSSION: All thru both scenes, Tom retains his composure. In the face of being laughed at, being belittled in front of others, being called an S.O.B., threatened Tom doesn't retaliate! He doesn't start calling Jack names nor does he make a physical move toward him. Incredibly, Tom praises Jack's work, never raises his voice, treats him with dignity and respect when far too many others would have had to be restrained. Does this story sound at all familiar to you? Did the makers of the Godfather movies actually plan a scene which teaches us Christian response to difficult people like Jack? This scene is Tom Hagen visiting movie executive Jack Woltz in regards to Johnny Fontaine. I've used this very example many times when addressing our firm's people dealing with other difficult people and it comes directly from our Bible! We are NOT, in any way, shape, form or regard to "get even" with anyone. If Tom would have starting insulting Jack, Tom would have done three things...trying to get even, soiling the legal profession and if Tom was a Christian, destroying his witness. Yes, Tom was a mob attorney but even then, an attorney needs to practice a certain professional decorum and that's exactly what Tom did. How about us? What do you do when somebody cuts you off in traffic? Suppose somebody is playing work-place politics and you are on the short end of the stick? What about an unreasonable demanding, impatient spouse who married you just to use you? Tom stayed silent thru the garbage and trust me, often times that's the best and only way to respond and retain your Christian witness. Trust me, any time I responded to someone like Jack, I did so thinking "that'll show him". "What I said, will be so powerful, he (or she) will change in a heartbeat", I thought! Guess what? it didn't! I always walked away feeling I didn't say enough, didn't say it right or boldly enough. Bottom line: I should have just said nothing. God knows what's going on! He has ears and eyes. Our job is to respond like a Christian, a lot like Tom Hagen did in that first Godfather movie. You can get even physically, doing vandalism, doing something to make life difficult for some who offended you. Or...you can do what's right and let God handle the rest. What about you???
