How is corruption defined?

I hope this message meets you well and uplift your soul and spirit. I hope it sets you up or encourage you to continue to engineer social change in your community, be it physical or spiritual.

Actually it is a question and you are going to help to set thing in order, that is, writing this piece better than anybody can and believing that generation of yours who read it now and in future will be proud of you.

I saw a definition of corruption online and it reads: 

 “corruption:

1. dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power, typically involving bribery.

synonyms: dishonesty, dishonest dealings, unscrupulousness, deceit, deception, duplicity, double-dealing, fraud, fraudulence, misconduct, lawbreaking, crime, criminality, delinquency, wrongdoing, villainy; bribery, bribing, subornation, venality, graft, extortion, jobbery, profiteering; payola; informalcrookedness, shadiness, sleaze, palm-greasing; malfeasance, misfeasance; archaicknavery; raremalversation

2. the process by which a word or expression is changed from its original state to one regarded as erroneous or debased.

“a record of a word’s corruption”

synonyms: alteration, falsification, doctoring, manipulation, manipulating, fudging, adulteration, debasement, degradation, abuse, subversion, misrepresentation, misapplication; rarevitiation”

So who is corrupt?

I have heard people use the  word ‘corruption’, exclusively irrespective of what is the real picture around them.

I have an interesting Bible passage that I will encourage you to read; it is like a movie story; actually it was a horror.

Judges chapters 19 to chapter 21.

I found Judges 20:17-21, very disturbing when I read it many years ago until the Lord explained it to me.  The explanation is in  Judges 20:26-35.

In Judges 20:17-21. God told the Israelites to fight the Benjamits, but they lost, they were beaten mercilessly by the Benjamites. However, it was a different thing entirely in Num. 20:26-35, where the Benjamites were beaten almost to extinction.

You know what the Lord told me, sinners can’t judge sinners!  A further study of Judges 2:10- 21, will show you how the Isrealites lived. They liked like sinners because they were. Everyone did whatever they pleased irrespective of what the law says or who is hurt. They were lawless, corrupt, godless, unmerciful, you just name it.

We can make a difference in our societies. This is a tough call and daring but we can. Every little step counts.

How do we define corruption? Exclusively? Some of our countries are so rich in religion and can comfortably export it but it has not imparted their national live. It is just like where “everybody does what they like”. People are only called “sinners when they are discover; actually sin is sin when it is committed, not just when sinners are found out.

It is not about what my friends and I thinks about someone or a situation but about what is right. If the Bible is not your standard what is? How do you interpret the scriptures?

Let the Lord be Lord. God bless you.

Ref. Google.

Stepping into God’s Zone

Caution: This message is capable of changing someone’s life for good!

You are very unique and special; whether you realise, acknowledge, accept or reject this truth is entirely another thing. You are who you are by the working of factors and forces known and unknown; some were as a result of birth, experiences, education or lack of it, environment – positive or negative, relationships and many others. Whatever your social or economic standing; influence or achievement, you are unique; you don’t have any other person exactly like you.

There are other people that are very unique all around you and just like you, they were made by certain factors and forces; some are known and many are unknown. They have become who they are and are important to the community either as positive or negative occupants who must not be ignored.

God is very important and very unique. He is important in the world and in lives of people, whether they acknowledge it or not. There are many who love and cherish him, in response to his love. There are many who acknowledge him as great, though not specially attached to him. There are people who ridicule God and all he stands for; here are some examples;

“Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”  Daniel 3:13-15 (NIV) Emphasis mine.

“Elisha replied, “Hear the word of the Lord. This is what the Lord says: About this time tomorrow, a seah of the finest flour will sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria.”

The officer on whose arm the king was leaning said to the man of God, “Look, even if the Lord should open the floodgates of the heavens, could this happen?”

“You will see it with your own eyes,” answered Elisha, “but you will not eat any of it!” 2 Kings 7:1-2 (NIV) Emphasis mine.

God ignores many of the affront and disrespect from people and let everyone live as they wanted.

However there can be instances where people step out of their realm and jurisdiction to zones exclusive to God and other people to challenge their uniqueness. I will like to say concerning God, that sometimes, humans stepped into the “God zone”, in a public challenge because of their own influence powers, education, influence or many other things they can boast of.

It results in conflict. If you continue to read the reference scripture above, in the Bible, you will see the outcome. In the two instances it ended in shame for Nebuchadnezzar and death for the other fellow. The actors in both cases exerted their powers and understanding and the outcomes is a big lesson for all.

It is important that we appreciate our uniqueness in harmony with that of other people. We do this by respect, understanding and at worst tolerance.

We will do well to live and do our businesses while allowing others the right to do theirs.

When there are conflicts, it is important to resolve them and move on. In most cases being overbearing in matters relating to other people’s right of worship, existence, relationships among others is never something to do; it never pays off. Nebuchadnezzar found out in a very humiliating way.

There are people who are ingenious and have done unique things along their lives’ journey; it is only good to acknowledge them and move on. Their lives have been a blessing just like yours has been especially if you have lived productively.

It is important to respect and honour God. There are many things we might never get to know and there are things about God, though simple, but will remain mysteries to many.

Disrespecting people who love and serve God is just like stepping into and trampling on other people’s uniqueness and rights. You don’t want that happening to you, so why do it to others.

We all develop and grow; what looks so unattainable at a time might well be within reach within someone’s life time, so never give up on yourself.

Reference:

Bible Quote: http://www.biblegateway.com