POVERTY AND WEALTH CREATION
In the minds of the international community, Africa is associated with poverty, disease, famine, malnutrition and all those things that dehumanize us. There is evidence to support this thinking. Africa and poverty are almost becoming synonymous.
However, the Bible has a lot to teach on the causes of poverty and how to get out of it.
It is therefore a contradiction that the Church is often described as vibrant in Africa and yet her people are engulfed in abject poverty. The next series of topics is meant to raise the awareness of what the Bible teaches on the issue.
In a subsequent edition, we shall delve deeper into the issue.
Christianity in Africa cannot ignore the reality of poverty among her people.
WHAT IS POVERTY?
KEY VERSE: Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you 12 so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
1 THESSALONIANS 4:11, 12
SCRIPTURE LESSON: PROVERBS 30:7-9
7 “Two things I ask of you, O LORD; do not refuse me before I die:
8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.
9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the LORD’ Or I may become poor and teal, and so dishonor the name of my God.
INRODUCTION
Poverty is a word that is commonly heard these days at both national and international fora. The politicians are always talking about alleviation poverty. Indeed, the major thrust of the NPP Government’s economic policy for 2001 – 2004 was referred to as the Poverty Alleviation Strategy. Other governments have drawn up similar programmes.
When policies are put in place which are supposed to be harsh, the poor in society are given some way out to survive. The NDC government had PAMSCAD to help the poor and quite recently the NPP has put in place a programme where cash donations are given to those identified as poor and vulnerable.
The number of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) that have arisen both locally and externally with programmes to help the poor keeps on increasing. On the international scene, our continent Africa is classified as the poorest, and we are almost getting to the point where Africa is becoming synonymous with Poverty.
A number of questions arise for anyone who is concerned about the issues. The include the following:
6. Are governments and politicians paying lip service to helping our people get out of poverty?
7. Can we put our hope in the so-called international community, made up of governments, NGO’s bodies of the United Nations and others to help get us out of poverty?
8. Does the Church have the capacity and ability through its Development and Relief services to get us out of poverty?
9. What is our Christian responsibility towards the poor?
10. The most crucial question is what can the individual who is poor do to get out of poverty?
This week we shall focus our attention on the last three questions.
EXPOSITION
2. Who is poor?
We shall answer the question from three viewpoints.
e. Maslow’s levels of needs.
Human beings have needs and Abraham Maslow developed one of the most useful descriptions of human needs. He proposed five levels (hierarchy) of needs.
vi. Physiological Needs – These are the basics in life or the necessities of life such as food, water, clothing, shelter and health. Only after at least the minimal satisfaction of the basics, do people move on to the next higher level.
vii. Safety and Security Needs – The concern here is how the basic necessities can be assured for the future. For example, does the person have a regular job or source of income that can be used to cater for future needs. Is there a job security? What about retirement benefits and similar such concerns.
viii. Social Needs – After the first two levels have been met, this level which concerns friendship, a sense of belonging and satisfaction, interaction with other people becomes important. In our context for example, people will be concerned about funerals and other social gatherings and their involvement in them.
ix. Ego, Status and Esteem Needs – These are expressed in an individuals’ desire for achievement, for confidence to face the world, for independence etc. Here, people are concerned about other people’s opinion about them and it includes desire for prestige, status, recognition, attention and appreciation.
x. Self-actualization – It is the highest level of human needs. At this level, people work not just to make more money, to have more friends, to be respected but because they want to fulfill their God-given potential. They devote their energies to developing their creative potential.
Not everybody gets through to the highest level, but to live with dignity, at least the first three levels must be satisfied. Therefore if people cannot have the basic necessities of life, then they are poor indeed.
f. Paul’s Teachings:-
In some of his letters, the Apostle Paul gave the following pieces of advice on the need for us to at least satisfy the basic necessities of life.
iv. “Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives” (Tit 3:14, emphasis mine)
v. .Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody” (1Th. 4:11 & 12, emphasis mine)
vi. “We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anybody’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, labouring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you” (2The. 3:7 &8. emphasis mine).
In these exhortations, Paul makes it clear that the Christian must not be poor and should be able to at least provide for the basic necessities of life.
g. Agur’s Prayer
Our scripture passage (Pr. 30:7-9) is a prayer of Agur to God. In this prayer, Agur describes the undesirability of poverty, and its consequences. It may cause the child of God to do things that dishonour God.
h. “The poor you will always have with you…” (Mark 14:7)
Some people interpret this statement of Jesus as endorsement of poverty. Nothing can be far from the truth. The context is that a woman identified as Mary Magdalene showed her appreciation for what Jesus had done in her life by pouring an expensive perfume of Jesus. Some people then criticized this action, and if they cared more for the poor said the perfume could have been sold and the money used for the poor. Jesus was surprised why this beautiful act of appreciation by the woman was being criticized. So he quoted a Mosaic instruction, which urged God’s people to be concerned about the less fortunate.
“There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be open acts of appreciation to those who deserve them.
“The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me” Jesus told them.
Conclusion
Poverty in our part of the world is real. Many people lack the basic necessities of life. The following actions to remove poverty are proposed.
• Our governments must put up realistic policies that can get our people out of poverty.
• The international community has a responsibility to help us implement policies that can get us out of poverty rather than giving us hand-outs
• The church must not only provide means to help the poor, but must play an advocacy role for good policies for the poor by our governments and other stakeholders.
• The church must institute regular teachings based on the Word of God and on attitudinal changes that can get us out of poverty.
• Instead of the “Prosperity Gospel”, let the church practice the “Poverty-Alleviation Gospel”, and show how the freedom Jesus brings should get our people out of poverty.
• Individual poor must pray Agur’s prayer and work towards getting out of poverty.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
6. Relate the scripture lesson to the theme for today.
7. Where would you place the majority of members in your church or community, on Maslow’s five levels of needs?
8. “Give us this day our daily bread”, how do you think the Church and especially your local congregation can help those who lack the basic necessities of life get out of their poverty?
9. A number of people criticize the so-called Prosperity Gospel propagated by some churches and preachers.
(c) In the face of the poverty that is prevalent among our people, do you think such messages are irrelevant?
(d) What do you identify to be the weakness in the approach used by these preachers and how can they be corrected.
10. How can Africa get out of the dependency syndrome and live the decent life which Agur and Paul spoke about? What is the place of the Word of God in this?
BIBLE LESSON APPLICATION
4. Where have you personally reached on Maslow’s five levels of human needs?
5. As the year draws to a close, make it your resolution to move to the next level on the hierarchy.
6. Draw plans to implement your decision.
Commit your resolution and plans to God in prayer.
DAILY BIBLE READINGS
Monday Proverbs 22:20-22 Don’t Exploit the Poor
Tuesday Proverbs 19:16-17 Be Kind to the Poor
Wednesday 2Corinthians 8:6-9 Excel in the Grace of Giving
Thursday 1Samuel 2:7-10 The Lord Exalts the Poor
Friday Proverbs 28:1-4 Don’t Oppress the Poor
Saturday Luke 22:1-4 Money Can Lead you Astray
Sunday Ecclesiastes 5:13-15 Naked We Came
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
WK.49 BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION - WHAT ARE THE ROOT CAUSES?
BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION – WHAT ARE THE ROOT CAUSES?
KEY VERSE: They did not require an accounting from those to whom they gave the money to pay the workers, because they acted with complete honesty. 2 KINGS 12:15
SCRIPTURE LESSON: 2 KINGS 12:1-15
2 KINGS 12:1 In the seventh year of Jehu, Joash became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother’s name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba.
2 Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the years Jehoiada the priest instructed him.
3 The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.
4 Joash said to the priest, “collect all the money that is brought as sacred offerings to the temple of the LORD – the money collected in the census, the money received from personal vows and the money brought voluntarily to the temple.
5 Let every priest receive the money from one of the treasurers, and let it be used to repair whatever damage is found in the temple.”
6 But by the twenty-third year of King Joash the priest still had not repaired the temple.
7 Therefore King Joash summoned Jehoiada the priest and the other priests and asked them, “Why aren’t you repairing the damage done to the temple” Take no more money from your treasurers, but hand it over for repairing the temple.”
8The priest agreed that they would not collect any more money from the people and that they would not repair the temple themselves.
9 Jehoiada the priest took a chest and bored a hole in its lid. He placed it beside the altar, on the right side as one enters the temple of the LORD. The priests who guarded the entrance put into the chest all the money that was brought to the temple of the LORD.
10 Whenever they saw that there was a large amount of money in the chest, they royal secretary and the high priest came, counted the money that had been brought into the temple of the LORD and put it into bags.
11 When the amount had been determined, they gave the money to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple. With it they paid those who worked on the temple of the LORD – the carpenters and builders,
12 the masons and stonecutters. They purchased timber and dressed stone for the repair of the temple of the LORD, and met all the other expenses of restoring the temple.
13 The money brought into the temple was not spent for making silver basins, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, trumpets or any other articles of gold or silver for the temple of the LORD.
14 it was paid to the workmen, who used it to repair the temple.
15 They did not require an accounting from those to whom they gave the money to pay the workers, because they acted with complete honesty.
INTRODUCTION
Our scriptural passage for this week deals with the level of misappropriation, diversion of funds and the general corruption that went on when King Joash ordered the repair of the Temple. The corruption involved the priests who were supervising the repairs. For more than 23 years they had collected monies from the worshippers but had refused to use the monies for the work. It was only after the work had been taken from the hands of the priests and control measures put in place that the repair work was completed. Our key verse this week reveals why the second group rather than the priests succeeded; “They did not require any accounting… because they acted with complete honesty” How does this Biblical story compare to the situation in Ghana?
EXPOSITION
Corruption may be defined as using illegal means for private gain. Corruption is a major problem in Ghana. It affects almost every aspect of our lives. Whenever corruption is mentioned, everybody thinks of politicians, the police and other public officials as the people involved. However, a close look at our society and the way we do things reveals that most every Ghanaian is involved in corruption in one way or the other. This write-up looks at our day-to-day activities and how they lead to corruption. A common proverb in Akan seems to suggest that Ghanaians have accepted corruption as part of our lives. We often hear people say: Kokofu boolbo, wo nua nni mu a won paase mma wo. This literary means if you know somebody at a place you can always have access to place.
Some people suggest that corruption has become part of our society and so we must accept it as such. They think that it is so entrenched that no government can fight it. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament sitting for the first time in public in October 2007 revealed the extent of corruption in the public life of the country. Various Ministries, the Police Service, the Judiciary and Departments were queried for financial malpractices. Some individuals were ordered to refund certain monies to the state. The findings of the committee indicate that there is the need to take steps to fight corruption in the country else the future will be bleak. The fight should not be left to the government alone. Everybody including the church must get involved.
Some Examples of Corruption in the Church in Ghana
There are reports of misappropriation at various levels of the Church. Some have been caught pocketing the money while checking the offertory. Others in charge of tithes or welfare condone to set some amount aside to be shared among themselves without the knowledge of the minister.
Some church leaders connive with contractors who work on church projects to over-charge so they can get a percentage of the charge.
On some occasions monies collected for specific projects are diverted to other things and the monies are not properly accounted for.
Public Places/Offices
Some people forge the signatories of their bosses to withdraw money from the banks. Others pay government’s or company’s money into their personal accounts.
Some accountants or directors keep names of dead people or workers who have left their jobs on the pay roll and assign people to collect their salaries every month. These are what are termed as ‘ghost names’ on the pay roll. Government’s efforts to clean the pay roll of these names have not yielded complete results because those involved are not cooperating.
People seeking for jobs are made to offer money before they are employed. Sex is sometimes demanded from the females before they are given jobs.
Before a job is done for you at an office, a file is sought for you or a letter written for you money has to be offered, despite the fact that the officials in charge are paid for their jobs.
People are given jobs or contracts only if they are relatives, friends, of the same tribe or fellow party members of the one in charge. Qualification is sometimes not a factor.
Some accountants, domestic bursars or procurement officers inflate prices of goods bought for companies, ministries, schools or departments.
Collusion with contractors, carpenters, masons, electricians, plumbers, painters to make illegal claims for work not done or not up to the amount.
Payment of money to an officer or a boss to gain promotion.
The Market – some market women make undue profit by overpricing their goods. They sometimes pretend to favour the buyers because they know them but in reality they are cheating them.
Shops – sales men and women connive with buyers or inquirers to overprice or over invoice an item and pocket the difference.
Petrol Stations – sales men and women connive with drivers to cheat in the issuing of fuel receipts. It is not unusual to hear a sale man or woman asking the driver: ‘how much should I write on the receipt?’
Schools – parents are made to pay large sums of money before their children are admitted in schools.
Gifts – giving gifts to a person in an attempt to influence him to do something he would not otherwise do. Gifts in the form of bribes have the potential to weaken the hands of the receiver.
Note: It is not every gift which constitutes a bribe. Proverbs 18:16 says ‘A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great.’ This means it is not in every case that it is unlawful for great men to receive gifts. Great men may cheerfully receive gifts as expression of gratitude for favours of a higher kind conferred. However, gifts will constitute corruption if their intention is to put or bring the giver to a place he does not deserve.
The above list is not exhaustive, but they represent some of the things which Ghanaians have taken for granted. We therefore cannot accuse the government of not doing enough to fight corruption. We all have a part to play to make Ghana a ‘corruption free’ country.
THE WORD IN OUR LIVES
Kwaku and Kwame were accountants in a big company in Ghana. Each of them received four hundred Ghana cedis a month. Both were leaders in their respective churches and were well respected by their pastors and church members. Within two years Kwaku had bought a fleet of cars for his personal use and had built a nice house. People in his community praised him for his ability to save part of his meager salary to buy all the cars and the house. Kwaku was the toast of his community. However, there were some in the community who questioned where Kwaku was getting all the money for his projects.
Kwame on the other hand always lamented about the hard conditions in the country and his meager salary. He had no car and was staying in a rented house. Kwame’s wife despised him for his inability to do what his friend Kwaku was doing for his family. She could not understand why his friend Kwaku was using his money profitably but her husband kept on complaining. She even thought her husband had a girl friend with whom he was spending his money.
One day, the Company’s Board of Directors called an emergency meeting. The Company was running at a loss. External auditors were called in. It came out that Kwaku had forged the signatories of the top Directors and had withdrawn large sums of money from the company’s accounts. He had also paid some monies belonging to the company into his personal accounts. He was arrested by the police, sent to court and jailed for fraud and embezzlement. It was then that Kwame’s wife appreciated the importance of integrity. She also praised her husband and thanked him for making the family proud.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Discuss today’s passage as it relates to the theme for the lesson.
2. It may be said that “corruption is the rule rather than the exception” in Ghana. Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer.
3. What role can the church play in fighting corruption within its own ranks and in society?
4. Who is to blame – the giver or receiver of a bribe? Give reasons for your answer?
5. When does a gift turn into a bribe?
6. Do you think the Government is dong enough to curb corruption? What more can it do?
BIBLE LESSON APPLICATION
Think about the various forms of corruption raised in the lesson. Of which are you guilty? Think and pray about how you can overcome them. Share with your group/class how you can help other in similar situations.
DAILY BIBLE READINGS
Monday Exodus 23:6-8 A Bribe Blinds
Tuesday Job 36:17-18 A Bribe can Turn you Aside
Wednesday Proverbs 6:32-35 Do Not Accept Bribes
Thursday Proverbs 17:8, 23 A Bribe Perverts Justice
Friday Proverbs 21:12-14 A Gift Concealed
Saturday Proverbs 15:26-27 Hate Bribes
Sunday
KEY VERSE: They did not require an accounting from those to whom they gave the money to pay the workers, because they acted with complete honesty. 2 KINGS 12:15
SCRIPTURE LESSON: 2 KINGS 12:1-15
2 KINGS 12:1 In the seventh year of Jehu, Joash became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother’s name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba.
2 Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the years Jehoiada the priest instructed him.
3 The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.
4 Joash said to the priest, “collect all the money that is brought as sacred offerings to the temple of the LORD – the money collected in the census, the money received from personal vows and the money brought voluntarily to the temple.
5 Let every priest receive the money from one of the treasurers, and let it be used to repair whatever damage is found in the temple.”
6 But by the twenty-third year of King Joash the priest still had not repaired the temple.
7 Therefore King Joash summoned Jehoiada the priest and the other priests and asked them, “Why aren’t you repairing the damage done to the temple” Take no more money from your treasurers, but hand it over for repairing the temple.”
8The priest agreed that they would not collect any more money from the people and that they would not repair the temple themselves.
9 Jehoiada the priest took a chest and bored a hole in its lid. He placed it beside the altar, on the right side as one enters the temple of the LORD. The priests who guarded the entrance put into the chest all the money that was brought to the temple of the LORD.
10 Whenever they saw that there was a large amount of money in the chest, they royal secretary and the high priest came, counted the money that had been brought into the temple of the LORD and put it into bags.
11 When the amount had been determined, they gave the money to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple. With it they paid those who worked on the temple of the LORD – the carpenters and builders,
12 the masons and stonecutters. They purchased timber and dressed stone for the repair of the temple of the LORD, and met all the other expenses of restoring the temple.
13 The money brought into the temple was not spent for making silver basins, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, trumpets or any other articles of gold or silver for the temple of the LORD.
14 it was paid to the workmen, who used it to repair the temple.
15 They did not require an accounting from those to whom they gave the money to pay the workers, because they acted with complete honesty.
INTRODUCTION
Our scriptural passage for this week deals with the level of misappropriation, diversion of funds and the general corruption that went on when King Joash ordered the repair of the Temple. The corruption involved the priests who were supervising the repairs. For more than 23 years they had collected monies from the worshippers but had refused to use the monies for the work. It was only after the work had been taken from the hands of the priests and control measures put in place that the repair work was completed. Our key verse this week reveals why the second group rather than the priests succeeded; “They did not require any accounting… because they acted with complete honesty” How does this Biblical story compare to the situation in Ghana?
EXPOSITION
Corruption may be defined as using illegal means for private gain. Corruption is a major problem in Ghana. It affects almost every aspect of our lives. Whenever corruption is mentioned, everybody thinks of politicians, the police and other public officials as the people involved. However, a close look at our society and the way we do things reveals that most every Ghanaian is involved in corruption in one way or the other. This write-up looks at our day-to-day activities and how they lead to corruption. A common proverb in Akan seems to suggest that Ghanaians have accepted corruption as part of our lives. We often hear people say: Kokofu boolbo, wo nua nni mu a won paase mma wo. This literary means if you know somebody at a place you can always have access to place.
Some people suggest that corruption has become part of our society and so we must accept it as such. They think that it is so entrenched that no government can fight it. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament sitting for the first time in public in October 2007 revealed the extent of corruption in the public life of the country. Various Ministries, the Police Service, the Judiciary and Departments were queried for financial malpractices. Some individuals were ordered to refund certain monies to the state. The findings of the committee indicate that there is the need to take steps to fight corruption in the country else the future will be bleak. The fight should not be left to the government alone. Everybody including the church must get involved.
Some Examples of Corruption in the Church in Ghana
There are reports of misappropriation at various levels of the Church. Some have been caught pocketing the money while checking the offertory. Others in charge of tithes or welfare condone to set some amount aside to be shared among themselves without the knowledge of the minister.
Some church leaders connive with contractors who work on church projects to over-charge so they can get a percentage of the charge.
On some occasions monies collected for specific projects are diverted to other things and the monies are not properly accounted for.
Public Places/Offices
Some people forge the signatories of their bosses to withdraw money from the banks. Others pay government’s or company’s money into their personal accounts.
Some accountants or directors keep names of dead people or workers who have left their jobs on the pay roll and assign people to collect their salaries every month. These are what are termed as ‘ghost names’ on the pay roll. Government’s efforts to clean the pay roll of these names have not yielded complete results because those involved are not cooperating.
People seeking for jobs are made to offer money before they are employed. Sex is sometimes demanded from the females before they are given jobs.
Before a job is done for you at an office, a file is sought for you or a letter written for you money has to be offered, despite the fact that the officials in charge are paid for their jobs.
People are given jobs or contracts only if they are relatives, friends, of the same tribe or fellow party members of the one in charge. Qualification is sometimes not a factor.
Some accountants, domestic bursars or procurement officers inflate prices of goods bought for companies, ministries, schools or departments.
Collusion with contractors, carpenters, masons, electricians, plumbers, painters to make illegal claims for work not done or not up to the amount.
Payment of money to an officer or a boss to gain promotion.
The Market – some market women make undue profit by overpricing their goods. They sometimes pretend to favour the buyers because they know them but in reality they are cheating them.
Shops – sales men and women connive with buyers or inquirers to overprice or over invoice an item and pocket the difference.
Petrol Stations – sales men and women connive with drivers to cheat in the issuing of fuel receipts. It is not unusual to hear a sale man or woman asking the driver: ‘how much should I write on the receipt?’
Schools – parents are made to pay large sums of money before their children are admitted in schools.
Gifts – giving gifts to a person in an attempt to influence him to do something he would not otherwise do. Gifts in the form of bribes have the potential to weaken the hands of the receiver.
Note: It is not every gift which constitutes a bribe. Proverbs 18:16 says ‘A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great.’ This means it is not in every case that it is unlawful for great men to receive gifts. Great men may cheerfully receive gifts as expression of gratitude for favours of a higher kind conferred. However, gifts will constitute corruption if their intention is to put or bring the giver to a place he does not deserve.
The above list is not exhaustive, but they represent some of the things which Ghanaians have taken for granted. We therefore cannot accuse the government of not doing enough to fight corruption. We all have a part to play to make Ghana a ‘corruption free’ country.
THE WORD IN OUR LIVES
Kwaku and Kwame were accountants in a big company in Ghana. Each of them received four hundred Ghana cedis a month. Both were leaders in their respective churches and were well respected by their pastors and church members. Within two years Kwaku had bought a fleet of cars for his personal use and had built a nice house. People in his community praised him for his ability to save part of his meager salary to buy all the cars and the house. Kwaku was the toast of his community. However, there were some in the community who questioned where Kwaku was getting all the money for his projects.
Kwame on the other hand always lamented about the hard conditions in the country and his meager salary. He had no car and was staying in a rented house. Kwame’s wife despised him for his inability to do what his friend Kwaku was doing for his family. She could not understand why his friend Kwaku was using his money profitably but her husband kept on complaining. She even thought her husband had a girl friend with whom he was spending his money.
One day, the Company’s Board of Directors called an emergency meeting. The Company was running at a loss. External auditors were called in. It came out that Kwaku had forged the signatories of the top Directors and had withdrawn large sums of money from the company’s accounts. He had also paid some monies belonging to the company into his personal accounts. He was arrested by the police, sent to court and jailed for fraud and embezzlement. It was then that Kwame’s wife appreciated the importance of integrity. She also praised her husband and thanked him for making the family proud.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Discuss today’s passage as it relates to the theme for the lesson.
2. It may be said that “corruption is the rule rather than the exception” in Ghana. Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer.
3. What role can the church play in fighting corruption within its own ranks and in society?
4. Who is to blame – the giver or receiver of a bribe? Give reasons for your answer?
5. When does a gift turn into a bribe?
6. Do you think the Government is dong enough to curb corruption? What more can it do?
BIBLE LESSON APPLICATION
Think about the various forms of corruption raised in the lesson. Of which are you guilty? Think and pray about how you can overcome them. Share with your group/class how you can help other in similar situations.
DAILY BIBLE READINGS
Monday Exodus 23:6-8 A Bribe Blinds
Tuesday Job 36:17-18 A Bribe can Turn you Aside
Wednesday Proverbs 6:32-35 Do Not Accept Bribes
Thursday Proverbs 17:8, 23 A Bribe Perverts Justice
Friday Proverbs 21:12-14 A Gift Concealed
Saturday Proverbs 15:26-27 Hate Bribes
Sunday
Monday, December 1, 2008
WK 49 CHOOSING OUR NATIONAL LEADERS: WHAT ARE THE ISSUES
CHOOSING OUR NATIONAL LEADERS – WHAT ARE THE ISSUES
KEY VERSE: The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me: ‘When one rules over men in righteousness, when he rules in the fear of God, 4 he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings the grass from the earth. 2 Samuel 23:3,4.
SCRIPTURE LESSON: 1KING 15:11-15; 16:23-26
1KING 15:11 Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as his father David had done.
12 He expelled the male shrine prostitutes from the land and got rid of all the idols his fathers had made.
13 He even deposed his grandmother Maacah from her positions as queen mother, because she had made a repulsive Asherah pole. Asa cut the pole down and burned it in the Kidron Valley.
14 Although he did not remove the high places, Asa’s heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life.
15 He brought into the temple of the Lord the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated.
1 KINGS 16:23 In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned twelve years, six of them in Tirzah.
24 He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents 1 of silver and built a city on the hill, calling it Samaria, after Shemer, the name of the former owner of the hill.
25 But Omri did evil in the eyes of the Lord and sinned more than all those before him.
26 He walked in all the ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat and in his sin, which he had caused Israel to commit, so that they provoked the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger by their worthless idols.
INTRODUCTION
Last week, we looked at our Christian responsibility to participate in the forthcoming elections by voting ourselves and being vigilant to ensure free and fair elections.
This week, we examine the issues that should guide us in the choices we make in voting for our presidential and parliamentary candidates.
EXPOSITION
David and Jeroboam compared
The two scriptural passages chosen are commentaries on the reign of two kings – King Asa of Judah and King Omri of Israel.
In assessing the reigns of the kings, the historian always had two standards with which they were compared. The following two phrases are used depending on the performance of the king:
“he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord as his father David had done”
OR
“he did evil in the eyes of the Lord, walking in the ways of Jeroboam and in his sin,
which he had caused Israel to commit.”
The important thing here is that, there was a yardstick with which the performance of the kings was measured.
The David Standard
Why was David the standard for the good kings? In assessing King David, the historian
Wrote,
“For David had done what was right in the eyes of the Lord and had not failed to keep
any of the Lord’s commands all the days of his life – except in the case of Uriah the
Hittite” (1Ks. 15:5)
David’s failings are not covered up, but his overall performance especially in relation to his personal relationship to God and his obedience to God’s commands were worth emulating.
Before he died, David spoke about how we can assess good leadership, as recorded in 2 Samuel 23:3-4, (our key verse) Two issues raised:
i. Did the leader rule in righteousness and in the fear of God
ii. Did the leader help the people to realize their potential?
The Jeroboam Standard
Why was Jeroboam the standard for the bad kings? Jeroboam was a very crafty politician who thought that in order to outwit his competitors or the rulers in Jerusalem, he must set up two golden calves in Bethel and Dan so that the people will no longer have to go down to Jerusalem to worship God there. This move was politically wise, but it became a sin, as the first commandment which says only God must be worshiped was broken (1Ki 12:25-33). Therefore any king who went off from the law of God was compared to king Jeroboam.
Ghana is a secular state, but as Christians we must have standards in assessing the political parties and the candidates. The Church cannot and should not give an endorsement to any political party or candidate. But as individual Christians we can find out if they follow the Davidic or Jeroboam standard.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
7. The David standard shows that there cannot be any politician without some failings, but what must we look for beyond these failings in our parties and candidates.
8. Jeroboam made a very wise move which enabled him to control the people overshadowed all his achievements. How do we identify and avoid the Jeroboam type of leader?
9. Why are democratic elections a better way to change leaders than uprisings or coups d’etat?
10. Some political parties consider certain parts of the country as their “World Bank”. Why is it wrong to vote on the basis of ethnicity?
c. What are the other considerations which guide Ghanaians in their voting patterns? How good and useful are these considerations?
d. Do you think morality should be one of such considerations?
11. Read Proverbs 16:33 – In the light of the passage, why is it wrong and even a sin for a Christian not to vote n democratic elections? In other words, why is apathy towards elections a sin?
12. Rehoboam is said to have failed to prove himself as a leader on the following issues;
Servant Leadership
Ability to connect or relate to the concerns of the people
Being an agent of change
Being proactive rather than reactive
How relevant are these issues in choosing National Leaders in Ghana?
BIBLE LESSON APPLICATION
c. as the electioneering or campaigning goes on assess the candidates on what they stand for, pray for God’s guidance to give us the right leaders and when the time comes, go out and vote as your Christian responsibility.
d. Discuss the insights of today’s lesson with a non-Methodist Christian and share the results with your group.
DAILY BIBLE READINGS
Monday Joshua 1:10-18 Duty of citizens to new leaders
Tuesday Nehemiah 5:1-13 Rights of citizens
Wednesday Jeremiah 29:1-9 Exiles to subject themselves to government
Thursday 1 Samuel 12:13-15 Citizens’ responsibility
Friday Daniel 3:1-30 Civil disobedience
Saturday Luke 20:21-25 Paying Taxes
Sunday 1 Peter 2:13-17 Christian citizenship
KEY VERSE: The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me: ‘When one rules over men in righteousness, when he rules in the fear of God, 4 he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings the grass from the earth. 2 Samuel 23:3,4.
SCRIPTURE LESSON: 1KING 15:11-15; 16:23-26
1KING 15:11 Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as his father David had done.
12 He expelled the male shrine prostitutes from the land and got rid of all the idols his fathers had made.
13 He even deposed his grandmother Maacah from her positions as queen mother, because she had made a repulsive Asherah pole. Asa cut the pole down and burned it in the Kidron Valley.
14 Although he did not remove the high places, Asa’s heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life.
15 He brought into the temple of the Lord the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated.
1 KINGS 16:23 In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned twelve years, six of them in Tirzah.
24 He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents 1 of silver and built a city on the hill, calling it Samaria, after Shemer, the name of the former owner of the hill.
25 But Omri did evil in the eyes of the Lord and sinned more than all those before him.
26 He walked in all the ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat and in his sin, which he had caused Israel to commit, so that they provoked the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger by their worthless idols.
INTRODUCTION
Last week, we looked at our Christian responsibility to participate in the forthcoming elections by voting ourselves and being vigilant to ensure free and fair elections.
This week, we examine the issues that should guide us in the choices we make in voting for our presidential and parliamentary candidates.
EXPOSITION
David and Jeroboam compared
The two scriptural passages chosen are commentaries on the reign of two kings – King Asa of Judah and King Omri of Israel.
In assessing the reigns of the kings, the historian always had two standards with which they were compared. The following two phrases are used depending on the performance of the king:
“he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord as his father David had done”
OR
“he did evil in the eyes of the Lord, walking in the ways of Jeroboam and in his sin,
which he had caused Israel to commit.”
The important thing here is that, there was a yardstick with which the performance of the kings was measured.
The David Standard
Why was David the standard for the good kings? In assessing King David, the historian
Wrote,
“For David had done what was right in the eyes of the Lord and had not failed to keep
any of the Lord’s commands all the days of his life – except in the case of Uriah the
Hittite” (1Ks. 15:5)
David’s failings are not covered up, but his overall performance especially in relation to his personal relationship to God and his obedience to God’s commands were worth emulating.
Before he died, David spoke about how we can assess good leadership, as recorded in 2 Samuel 23:3-4, (our key verse) Two issues raised:
i. Did the leader rule in righteousness and in the fear of God
ii. Did the leader help the people to realize their potential?
The Jeroboam Standard
Why was Jeroboam the standard for the bad kings? Jeroboam was a very crafty politician who thought that in order to outwit his competitors or the rulers in Jerusalem, he must set up two golden calves in Bethel and Dan so that the people will no longer have to go down to Jerusalem to worship God there. This move was politically wise, but it became a sin, as the first commandment which says only God must be worshiped was broken (1Ki 12:25-33). Therefore any king who went off from the law of God was compared to king Jeroboam.
Ghana is a secular state, but as Christians we must have standards in assessing the political parties and the candidates. The Church cannot and should not give an endorsement to any political party or candidate. But as individual Christians we can find out if they follow the Davidic or Jeroboam standard.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
7. The David standard shows that there cannot be any politician without some failings, but what must we look for beyond these failings in our parties and candidates.
8. Jeroboam made a very wise move which enabled him to control the people overshadowed all his achievements. How do we identify and avoid the Jeroboam type of leader?
9. Why are democratic elections a better way to change leaders than uprisings or coups d’etat?
10. Some political parties consider certain parts of the country as their “World Bank”. Why is it wrong to vote on the basis of ethnicity?
c. What are the other considerations which guide Ghanaians in their voting patterns? How good and useful are these considerations?
d. Do you think morality should be one of such considerations?
11. Read Proverbs 16:33 – In the light of the passage, why is it wrong and even a sin for a Christian not to vote n democratic elections? In other words, why is apathy towards elections a sin?
12. Rehoboam is said to have failed to prove himself as a leader on the following issues;
Servant Leadership
Ability to connect or relate to the concerns of the people
Being an agent of change
Being proactive rather than reactive
How relevant are these issues in choosing National Leaders in Ghana?
BIBLE LESSON APPLICATION
c. as the electioneering or campaigning goes on assess the candidates on what they stand for, pray for God’s guidance to give us the right leaders and when the time comes, go out and vote as your Christian responsibility.
d. Discuss the insights of today’s lesson with a non-Methodist Christian and share the results with your group.
DAILY BIBLE READINGS
Monday Joshua 1:10-18 Duty of citizens to new leaders
Tuesday Nehemiah 5:1-13 Rights of citizens
Wednesday Jeremiah 29:1-9 Exiles to subject themselves to government
Thursday 1 Samuel 12:13-15 Citizens’ responsibility
Friday Daniel 3:1-30 Civil disobedience
Saturday Luke 20:21-25 Paying Taxes
Sunday 1 Peter 2:13-17 Christian citizenship
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