God Is Silent On Offering Of Bribes But He Frowns On Its Collection
In Isaiah's sin cautioning prophetic ministry as in the Bible, his message to the people on bribery was always directed to the collection end of bribe. Why must God be silent on the one who pays the bribe and the payment?
I was also very happy to chance on Micah 7:3 in addition to Isaiah's as in Isaiah 1:23, 7:23 in the Bible. These scriptures condemns the one who ask for bribe, bribe taking and collection. Bribe takers, beware. God is on you. There may be mercy for those tempted to give. However to those who also tempt the collector by offering fat envelopes as a means to influence judgement, you are no different from the one taking bribe.
I love these scriptures very much. This is because I believe Isaiah and Micah correctly applied the Wisdom of God in in their teachings. Yeah truly, if the collector will not take, the giver cannot pay. God is all wise to know that if the receiving end is strong willed to reject bribe offer, there would not be any collection and fairness would be.
In bribery, the direct and indirect actions of the takers cause the givers to dip hands into their pockets to pay for the advantage they seek and sometimes even for deserved assistance when they are being denied. This is exactly what is going on in Ghana today.
Some officials at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority put unnecessary fear in clients who apply for their services especially driver's licence. This avoidable fear is strategically so to indirectly cause clients to offer additional monies in the form of bribe for their services. It happened to me. The receipt I was given was less than I paid. My worry is that, a lot of the affected clients are people who have independently written and passed even demanding examinations in their respective profession and or higher academic study at the University. These low content tests at the DVLA ought not be headache to them. We may be compelled to pay extra money for you to pass us because of your actions. There may be mercy for us but woe unto you the collector.
The Police on the road I use every morning from home to work have tailored to collecting monies as a seemingly special requirement for passage of vehicles. A commuter is sure to be delayed if you show reluctance to pay. I am sure road users in other parts of the country are experiencing same. We may pay to avoid being delayed. I tell you, God's mercy may be for us but He certainly is not happy with your siphoning.
To the meter issuing department of Electricity Company of Ghana, what is the need of sharing meters in secrecy to private electrical contractors to be sold on your behalf if you do not have bad intention? God condemns your conscious plan to create scarcity of meters in the eyes of the public to cause them to pay more in the form of bribe to get a meter for usage.
At the few public work places I have been, the unprofessional and unwelcoming reception alone one receives at the reception desk is more to cause you to immediately buy a favour so you will be smiled at and given pleasant assistance. God must be wondering what men in offices would do if humanity had to buy oxygen every morning from them for breathing.
Man in service, when you are very professional with your services and we are pleased with, please, we are sure to appreciate you if only we have the means.
Stop this shameful and uncultured attitude of always requesting us to give you 'social' for the same services you are being paid for at the end of the month.
Bribery was and it still is but there may be mercy for and or on us who were and may be tempted to offer.
God is cautioning you to stop being the cause of His children's woes. If you stop bribe collection, you will save good people from the afflictions of sin.
The love of Jesus is best expressed in Salvation. He is again calling on you to turn away from your sins and come to Him; for the Kingdom of God is near.
Jesus loves you.
Evangelist Samoa Mensa.