By Rev Clifford Chisha
A clear-sighted leader risks becoming blind if he chooses to embrace bribery.
Bribery, sometimes concealed in the expression- “advance appreciation for the services to be rendered” usually compromise the integrity of a leader and their ability to make fair decisions.
Exodus 23:8
“You shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of the just.”
The above portion of Scripture is part of the laws about social justice which were given by Jehovah to the children of Israel.
God forbade the children of Israel from taking a bribe and revealed the effects – the blinding of the clear-sighted and subversion of the cause of those who are just.
Both leaders and the led are supposed to avoid bribery for it has very bad consequences.
The nature of a bribe;
√ It has a tendency to blind a person and causes him to act in a way that he would not under normal circumstances.
√ It sways a person to give an unfair judgement or decision.
√ A bribe has a bad influence on a person who takes it. It causes fear and partiality.
√ It silences the voice of the one who is bribed and gives a stronger voice to the briber.
“Your rulers are rebels and companions of thieves; everyone loves bribes and chases after gifts. They do not defend the fatherless, nor does the widow’s cause come before them [instead they delay or turn a deaf ear].” Isaiah 1:23
The Holy One of Israel rebuked his people for their rebellion.
Their leaders were rebels and companions of thieves.
Jehovah was concerned.
When leaders become companions of thieves, the people they lead, especially the poor suffer badly.
Security and justice evaporates.
In Isaiah 1:23,the living God reveals that all the leaders at that time loved bribes and used to chase after gifts.
As a consequence, they neglected to defend the cause of the orphans and the widows could not get justice.
This is usually the case where leaders love bribery. The less privileged are badly affected, service is compromised.
Bribes results in substandard jobs, health care, deaths among others.
Jehovah was concerned and even in this generation, He gets concerned when leaders begin to love bribery.
Bribery negatively affect the less privileged.
As leaders, we need to avoid kickbacks if we are to make impartial, sound and beneficial judgments.
Kickbacks kicks us to a position of weakness, where our authority is buried alive.
