03.03.T01-RS — Reflection Scorecard: Understanding Why People Succumb to Corruption

Reflecting on the Roots of Corruption

This chapter explores some of the reasons why seemingly God-fearing people find themselves participating in corruption. It reveals how attitudes, desires, habits, influences and warning signs can gradually draw a person into unethical conduct.

As you complete this Reflection Scorecard, reflect on the lessons discussed in the chapter and consider how they relate to your own life, work environment and experiences.

Part A: The Love of Money

1. What did you learn about the relationship between the love of money and corruption?

2. How did Daudi's obsession with wealth contribute to his downfall?

3. What did you learn from the chapter's warning that money can become a person's master?

4. Why do you think some people sacrifice their values in pursuit of wealth?

Part B: Ministry Without Discipleship

5. What lessons did you learn from Daudi's involvement in church ministry?

6. Why might involvement in ministry be a poor substitute for genuine discipleship and transformation?

7. What warning does the chapter give about appointing people to positions of responsibility before they are spiritually mature?

Part C: Failing to Be Transformed

8. What did you learn about the difference between religion and transformation?

9. Why do you think Daudi remained unchanged despite years of church attendance and exposure to biblical teaching?

10. What did the Parable of the Sower teach you about the danger of allowing the desire for wealth to choke God's Word?

11. Which statement in this section challenged your thinking most strongly? Why?

Part D: Taking God for Granted

12. What examples from Daudi's life suggest that he was taking God for granted?

13. Why do some people believe they can continue in wrongdoing without consequences?

14. What did you learn from the discussion about forgetting God while pursuing corrupt gain?

15. How can a person unknowingly begin to disregard God's presence and guidance?

Part E: Delaying Change

16. What lessons did you learn about procrastinating change?

17. Why is the attitude of "just one more time" so dangerous?

18. Have you ever seen someone delay dealing with a problem until it became much worse?

☐ Yes

☐ No

☐ Not Sure

If yes, what happened?

Part F: Poverty Mentality

19. What did you learn about the difference between genuine need and poverty mentality?

20. How did Daudi's desire to outshine his relatives contribute to his corruption problem?

21. Why can comparison with others become dangerous?

22. What did you learn about contentment from this section?

Part G: The Excuse that "Everyone Does It"

23. Why do you think people use the excuse that "everyone does it"?

24. What dangers arise when people allow a crowd to determine what is right or wrong?

25. Have you ever experienced pressure to participate in something because others were doing it?

☐ Yes

☐ No

☒ Not Sure

If yes, how did you respond?

Part H: Corrupt Company and Easy Money

26. What lessons did you learn from Daudi's relationship with Zakayo?

27. How can mentors, workmates and friends influence a person's ethical behaviour?

28. What did you learn about the dangers of becoming dependent on easy money?

29. Why can an expensive lifestyle become a trap?

Part I: Moral Decay and Wicked Thinking

30. What did you learn about the connection between moral decay and corruption?

31. Why does self-centredness increase the likelihood of corruption?

32. What lessons did you learn about the role of love for others in preventing corruption?

33. How can an entire organisation or community gradually become normalised to corruption?

Part J: Rewards and Hidden Motives

34. What did you learn about the desire for rewards and recognition?

35. Why can the expectation of being rewarded for every service create corruption risks?

36. What did the temptation of Jesus teach you about resisting improper rewards?

Part K: Reading the Warning Signals

37. Which warning signal discussed in this chapter surprised you most?

☐ Unrealistic gifts

☐ Inflated quotations

☐ Excessive bureaucracy

☐ Private meetings

☐ Lack of a paper trail

☐ Corruption-infested environments

☐ Paying to speed up services

☐ Missing documents

☐ Deception

☐ Barriers between clients and management

38. Which warning signal do you think is easiest for people to overlook? Why?

39. Which warning signal have you observed most often in real life?

40. Why do you think seemingly innocent situations can sometimes become corruption traps?

My Key Discoveries

41. The root cause of corruption that challenged me most was:

42. The warning signal I will pay closest attention to in future is:

43. The lesson from Daudi's story that I will remember most is:

44. The most important truth I learned from this chapter is:

Before I Move On

45. Which reason for corruption do you believe poses the greatest danger to you personally?

46. What practical lesson from this chapter will help you resist corruption in the future?