Daily Devotional Guide, Today’s Reading – Tuesday, February 8, 2022

Theme: SERVING GOD IN SINCERITY AND IN TRUTH

Text: “Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.” – 1 Samuel 12:3.

Comment: In his handing-over speech, Samuel the prophet openly challenged the people to name any evil that he had done so that he would make restitution. But they replied: “Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man’s hand.” And he said unto them, The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand. And they answered, He is witness.” (I Samuel 12:3-5) The courage with which Samuel demanded public exposure of any wrong he may have done shows clearly that he was honest in his dealings with the people. Leaders of today should learn from the example of Samuel so that they could openly proclaim their honesty and leave office with their integrity intact. See Proverbs 22:1.

 

Another example of sincerity of service is that of Nehemiah who, at a time, served as governor of Judea under the King of Babylon. According to Nehemiah’s account, he did not abuse his office by converting public resources to himself. “But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.” He prayed: “Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.” – Nehemiah 5:15,19.