03.05.14 The 12th Practice for Avoiding Corruption

12. Affirm your Moral Code

One tactic that ‘God-fearing’ officials use to circumvent corruption is to promptly declare their beliefs; a thing which demarcates their offices as a ‘no-go’ zone for any kind of illicit dealing.  Keziya the statistician did just that, when she proclaimed her ethical position to Daudi at Tafiti Technologies Agency, the first day they met.  Later, we see the statistician standing her ground even when Daudi tried to entice her into paying a bribe to speed up a payment. 

All things being equal, people should know your beliefs outright rather than camouflaging them.  That said however, there will be instances where you may have to temporarily keep your stand undercover, until an ample time.  That is what serpents do… they camouflage themselves until the right time to strike.  In Matthew 10:16 Jesus recommended that strategy when sending His disciples out on a mission.  This is what He said (NKJV): Behold I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves.  Therefore, be wise as serpents…; teaching us that ‘Wisdom’ is key when it comes to affirming your moral code. 

So, allow the Holy Spirit to lead you regarding when and where to reveal who you are; what you believe in; and, the moral code that you stand for.  As a reminder, the Word of God should be the only standard that we subscribe to.  Anything other than that is mediocre.., it is below the mark.

Another point to note is that declaring your faith openly could make you unpopular in some circles, considering that the last thing that a corrupt person would want to see is someone ethical.  Others, like Daudi get offended when told the truth.  Do you recall how he reacted, the day Mama Tatu the church elder warned him about his corrupt tendencies?  

However, ‘threatened unpopularity’ should never stop you from revealing your anti-corruption position, once the timing is right.  That is what Jesus meant when he described us as ‘the salt of the earth, a lamp that cannot be hidden’ (Matthew 5:13-16).  Just like the presence of Mama Tatu the elder and Keziya the statistician were felt by Daudi, your presence and beliefs must also be felt.

Announcing your spiritual stand to stakeholders has one advantage among others.  It cuts off those that God would prefer for you to meet or transact with.  This is in line with 2 Corinthians 6:14 which says (PHILLIPS): Don’t link up with unbelievers and try to work with them. What common interest can there be between goodness and evil? How can light and darkness share life together? How can there be harmony between Christ and the devil? What business can a believer have with an unbeliever?...  This verse is straight to the point.

Finally, be transparent, to avoid people thinking that you may be hiding something under the table.  Open office designs go a long way in achieving this.  Whenever you suspect that a client could be corrupt, always invite that person to meet you at your office or in an open place.  It is good practice to have other team members present for accountability.  You may record the discussions if you deem that to be necessary.