Devotional Guide, Today’s Reading – Friday, May 8, 2020

Theme: PROMOTION

Text: “And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.” –  Exodus 23:8.

 

Comment: That there are many people who receive promotion they do not deserve due to the high incidence of deviations and perversions in almost every sphere of human activities in this age is an indisputable fact.  The academic institutions are not spared either.  There are allegations that some students do buy their promotions from one class to another by giving bribes to ungodly teachers, lecturers or invigilators.  In some public examinations, some invigilators, for reasons of corruption do connive with students to perpetrate examination malpractice and other irregularities.  As can be understood in today’s text, these are acts of social injustice and a serious sin against God as it is a clear case of fraud or dishonesty. – Mark 7:20-23, New English Bible.

 

A gift corruptly offered with the intent to curry favour with anyone is a sin.  This accounts for the enactment of the law by God forbidding the acceptance of such gift, which in a plain language is bribe.  Those who are into this practice are admonished to desist from it, “For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery.” – Job 15:34.  See also Deuteronomy 16:19;  Isaiah 5:23.

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