“A present is a precious stone in the eyes of its possessor; wherever he turns, he prospers” (Proverbs 17:8, NKJV).

The Hebrew term here is not for a thoughtful gift, but as a means of bribery—paying off people to get around the rules. In this world, money does talk, but God is against bribery, as later mentioned in Proverbs 17:23, "A wicked man accepts a bribe behind the back to pervert the ways of justice."

Giving and taking bribes, or "perks" and "payoffs" as they are sometimes known, permeates all cultures, and all parts of the globe. It becomes second nature to us since we have to live in the society around us. However, just because we can't change something in the short-term doesn't mean we have to accept it. It is important to remember to abhor (regard with righteous disgust) these kinds of evil that, over time, do great damage to the moral compass of any nation and are sins against God.

Do you reiforce an attitude and actions of uprightness in your own life in order to counter the corruption around you?