Corruption… it is everywhere. This summer while in Nigeria I heard two sermons warning of corruption that is rampant here in Nigeria. The church was calling her people to a higher standard, while at the same time, noting that corruption is everywhere and we must constantly be on our guard.
Corruption, it seems, appears in this morning’s passage. The priests when left to themselves were not able to complete the repairs on the temple. Joash said to the priests, “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. Let every priest receive the money from one of the treasurers, then use it to repair whatever damage is found in the temple.” But by the twenty-third year of King Joash the priests still had not repaired the temple. 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.” (4-7).
Where was all the money going??? Was it corruption? Graft? Theft by others?
So the priests devised a plan to put the money in a sealed box. When enough was there it was given to workers to complete the work and this plan worked.
The human heart is wicked, even the best of us. To combat our natural tendencies to selfishness, we can learn from the priests and put checks and balances on ourselves to protect us from ourselves.
I am not above corruption. I am not above sin. I need to welcome accountability to help me live a true and faithful life before the Lord and others…
What checks, balances and accountability do you have in your life to help you live faithfully before the Lord?
Lord, give me honesty with myself to see my weaknesses and to confront them so that I live faithfully before you and people of this world. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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