December 17

Dec 17 - Today from Proverbs 17 we look at verses 8 & 23
"A bribe is a charm to the one who gives it; wherever he turns, he succeeds."
"A wicked man accepts a bribe in secret to pervert the course of justice."

At first read, it appears that verse 8 is condoning and even encouraging bribery. Then upon reading verse 23, it appears that bribery is a tool of subterfuge and deception. Proverbs are often observations of life, valuable for the believer to know. Thus we cannot isolate verse 17 and make a Biblical doctrine that might state, "Whoever becomes proficient in the use of bribery will find success in life." That would be a mistake. In Exodus 23, God is giving His people direct commands. In verse eight He clearly states, "Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous." There is no Biblical doctrine condoning the use of bribes.
So what is verse 8 teaching us? It is teaching the same thing as verse 23 and Exodus 23:8. "Do not accept a bribe. A bribe is a charm to the one who GIVES it." Charm can be deceptive. It is often something in a person's character that is intentionally delightful, so that it covers the faults of the one who possesses it. "It blinds those who see." A person who lacks charm in their personality can achieve the same ends by using a bribe. The bribe becomes the charm that blinds people to the true character - or at least makes the true character of the giver of less significance.
People who receive bribes often feel that they are the ones who prosper. God is telling us not to fall for such deception. The people who receive bribes are exchanging something of great value for something of temporary pleasure. They are selling their integrity. It is the person who gives the bribe who walks away with added value. He not only has advanced his ambitious goals in life, he now has power over the person bribed. The person bribed lies exposed before the briber as a sell-out, and will never again have the strength of integrity to take a stand for convictions. This person has actually lost value in the transaction. The focus on verse 8 is not to be on the one giving the bribe, but on the one who is tempted to take a bribe. I read it to say something like, "Don't take a bribe - it only benefits the one who GIVES it. You will be helping him succeed in his deceptive means to a goal while you end up compromising your integrity."
God does not condone the use of bribery, it perverts justice. But it seems He is somewhat impressed with how well the 'people of this world' learn how the system works, and then apply themselves to working it for their benefit. Jesus tells the parable of the shrewd manager in Luke 16:1-15. The master in the parable actually commended the dishonest manager (v. 8) for his shrewdness in bribing the master's debtors. But it was only a passing admiration for a corrupt person who shrewdly used a corrupt system to induce people who were more powerful than himself. They corrupted themselves while helping the doomed manager to achieve his goal. Don't miss an important part of the lesson here; in the end the shrewd manager lost his position in the master's household. Jesus then lamented, "The people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of light." As followers of Christ, we are not to be of their kind. We are to be the people of light. We are to use our gifts and abilities to achieve His goals, not our own. We are to 'bribe' (if I may use that term), the poor, the sojourner, and the disenfranchised that they might listen to the message of hope that we have. The people of this world (system) use their charm to effect self-centered, self-serving goals in this life. The people of light are to use their 'charm' to effect the entrance and expansion of the Kingdom of God. The people of this world use their charm to pervert justice and to destroy the integrity of others. The people of light are to use their 'charm' to establish justice and to restore integrity. Sometimes I wonder when Jesus looks down at His church -- particularly His church of means and prosperity -- if He still does not lament.
Wisdom does not take bribes, nor does it seek to use bribes to pervert justice. Wisdom uses its resources to bring hope and to restore integrity in a lost and broken world.