Friday after Laetare, 3/30/01

Exodus 23:6 Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous. --NIV

In the name of the One Who forbids bribery, amen.

Covetousness opens a person up to bribery. If we are content with what we have, we will not be susceptible to a bribe. But when our eyes are full of greed, we will easily be influenced by a bribe.

We may think that we are righteous and beyond influence, but if we let our greed smolder within us, we are very open to influence. Perhaps that is why our country is very quickly sliding into corruption. Everything around feeds our greed. We are told that we deserve the best, and that we should have everything, and have it now.

If we are very fortunate our Lord will take enough away from us so that we will not be so greedy. Then we will appreciate what we have, and perhaps return to the love of justice that we held in the past. Amen.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, give us enough to live on so that we do not steal and disgrace Your holy name, but not so much that we are consumed with our blessings and forget You. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.

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