Wild West Story Of The Past

When I was involved in real estate as a career, I learned many valuable lessons.

Many of the lessons came in the form of a challenge to my character, integrity, honesty and conscience.

I remember receiving a call from a group of real estate agents in helping them unload an investment property they were unable to sell quickly.

They had been flipping properties and the red hot residential real estate market had cooled off considerably.

2008 Real Estate Market Crash

They didn't know what to do and had very little equity, so they couldn't discount the property for a quick sale...and conventional sales was all they understood.

They were surprised and impressed by the many options I was presenting them.

Instead of trying to turn a profit myself (again, there was little equity), I was simply sharing with them some creative ideas so they may decide on their own what would best suit them.

We sparked a friendship of sorts, and our guards were lowered.

They were about my same age and just as ambitious to earn lots of money in little time, but seemed a bit too ambitious for my tastes as our discussions elaborated.

One of the gentlemen was involved in selling stolen products from large warehouse stores (flatscreen televisions).

He shared with me the manner the scam 'worked' and the amount of money rendered from the thievery.

I was surprised he would risk jail time for such a paltry amount (in my estimate), especially having dependents (a wife and children at home, and at least one girlfriend somewhere else).

I thought to myself how can this man, who could easily earn seven figures a year being a focused real estate agent in southern California, or possibly five figures a month - legally, would even consider a making a few thousand dollars from individually selling stolen property.

I noticed his insatiable appetitive for more...an appetite I could identify with which, once realized, can be quite consuming.

Once a certain level of life experience is realized, it is difficult to slip back into obscurity or a lesser level of income and life enjoyment.

Getting accustomed to the nicer (and more expensive) things in life, it is difficult going back to eating fast food and riding on public transportation.

I kindly declined the offer and 'opportunity'.

Another proposal from another individual was something more intriguing, more lucrative and exponentially more dangerous.

One of the individuals had associations with drug dealers from across the border who needed to launder their millions of dollars; legitimize their ill-gotten gains from illicit activities.

I guess these new acquaintances of mine were quite impressed by my ideas and 'thinking outside the box of convention'.

They asked me how these drug dealers would be able to legitimize their dirty fortunes.

I again thought to myself how ridiculous the notion of dealing with drug dealers who would likely not hesitate to murder someone to save their own skin.

I strictly reminded them to acknowledge the fact they are dealing with individuals who operate outside the law.

I regretfully did suggest to them a few possible scenarios and schemes as I entertained their wonderment me.

My pride and arrogance and been flattered - it didn't take much at that time in my life.

After sharing my ideas, I cautioned them that such ideas were not only quite sophisticated, they demanded patience...two characteristics possibly not present in these nefarious clients they desired to serve.

I reminded them they have thus far enjoyed nominal success in real estate because of the law and their maneuvering within the bounds of real estate law.

People who wouldn't resist likely murdering others for profit, or to escape justice, would likely have no reservation in dealing violently with them if they sensed anything less than expected, or if such schemes were too slow or complicated for them to understand and see all the way to the end.

It was then I realized some very valuable lessons.

There is much knowledge (things to 'know') in the world, but not all knowledge is true, or fact-based.

There is much information that is false, or misleading, or partially true, or convoluted.

Thus, every bit of information or bit of know-ledge needs to be qualified according to its validity; is it true?

These gentlemen were working within the confines of a particular knowledge-base, built on the law and on fact.

Their information was true, yet it was limited according to scope.

What I was dealing with at that time was simply a narrower realm of facts; privy information / knowledge not widely understood and less experienced by others, even people with life-long careers in the rest estate industry.

I learned that narrower knowledge, or any part of knowledge, is beneficial only if providing for good.

There are plenty of individuals in the real estate industry who, although abiding by the conventional rules, are quite tyrannical and power-hungry.

They may not break the law, but they surely can be heartless and immune to human sympathy.

The laws of man provide for the breaking of society, since society can be fragile and people irresponsible, either those having great wealth or those being undisciplined with the little money.

This can be true in all walks of life and all places that money, competition, pride, power and envy persists....even in religious circles as world history clearly portrays.

Although any bit of knowledge / information can be true, not all knowledge / information is beneficial.

One could share how to steal something and insure getting away with the crime, but how is that information beneficial?

It is only beneficial for the wicked thief who would rather focus on such things than learn how to work within the law (even if the law is sometimes unfair or imperfect).

It was not beneficial to me, or these ambitious men, to learn how to legitimize large amounts of illicit fortunes in helping likely murderers and depraved men.

To assist wicked men, even indirectly, to prosper or safeguard their banal efforts is similar to being in league with them.

I had a moment of sobriety in realizing how easily I could have become entangled with such acquaintances.

These men reflected my peer group regarding age and profession.

I realized the leverage and influence my knowledge / information and understanding had over them, and the like in what they were involved with.

The temptation to participate in any manner of financial gain was already bothering my conscience, for I began to see many flaws in the 'lawful' manners of the real estate industry.

When certain doors were opened to me for easier money...it was a cause for me to pause.

I was staring at the prospect of becoming a goat, and wondered if I had already become one.

The parables of the good shepherd, the sheep, the kingdom and how the people are handled became enlivened in me and were once again taught to my heart in a fresh way.

Although I could imagine what those teachings were saying, they didn't resonate with such profundity as they did when I was in a position of influence.

The lowly sheep knows very well the struggle at the bottom of an apparatus, but doesn't know the beguiling and blindly temptation atop such an apparatus; the challenge of being a good shepherd and not a hired hand or bad manager.

I understood how important a good heart, honorable character and integrity is for those who manage and own the varied machinations of life.

I realized how very few are actually dignified or deserving such responsible positions.

The world's histories shout very loud how strongmen take hold of lofty positions, and how the hearts of both masters and slaves have been protected by God's Hand.

Although the wicked are allowed to 'prosper' and have their way for a short time, notice how even the weak are eventually vindicated by such exploits of the wicked.

The Lord detests dishonest scales, 

   but accurate weights find favor with Him. 

When pride comes, then comes disgrace,

   but with humility comes wisdom. 

The integrity of the upright guides them, 

   but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity. 

Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, 

   but righteousness delivers from death. 

The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight, 

   but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness. 

The righteousness of the upright delivers them, 

   but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires. 

Hopes placed in mortals die with them; 

   all the promise of their power comes to nothing. 

The righteous person is rescued from trouble, 

   and it falls on the wicked instead. 

With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors, 

   but through knowledge the righteous escape. 

When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices; 

   when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy. 

- Proverbs 11: 1-10