If John the Baptist was in Kenya

Yuvinalis from Kisii writes: “Hallo Fr. Beste, if John came to Kenya today, what would he tell the government on corruption?” Thank you for this good question Yuvinalis. First he would tell them not to use their authority to exploit and oppress citizens. Instead he would advise them to use their power faithfully to the service of the people.

He would sternly warn them on their inability of a public institution to manage public affairs and public resources; their failure to meet the needs of society while making the best use of all resources at their disposal.

He would check them on accountability - measures various aspects of political processes, civil liberties, and political rights and the extent to which citizens are able to participate in selection of governments and monitoring of authority.

A government where there is political stability and lack of violence. The capacity of the government to effectively formulate and implement sound policies, quality of public service provision, quality of bureaucracy, competence and depoliticization of civil service, credibility of the government commitment to policies and rules of laws.

John would also tell them to form regulatory framework where incidence of market is friendly. The respect of citizens and the state for the institutions that govern economic and social interactions among them.

The extent to which the agents abide by and have confidence in the rules of society – efficiency and predictability of judiciary, enforceability of the contracts, perceptions of the incidence of crime and measures level of corruption and related institutional distortions.

John would also tell them that they should not pretend that they are religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Instead he would tell them that religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

He would call them hypocrites for claiming to believe something but acting in a different manner. The Bible calls hypocrisy a sin. John the Baptist refused to give hypocrites a pass, telling them to produce “fruits worthy of repentance”.

A hypocrite may look righteous on the outside, but it is a façade. True righteousness comes from the inner transformation of the Holy Spirit not an external conformity to a set of rules. If they didn’t repent, they will perish in hell.

Leaders who didn't change will not be saved from their sins. This is because people who keep on sinning just as they did before their so-called conversion won't get into heaven. He told people specifically what they should do. If they were sincere about repenting, they would quit acting selfishly and start considering others, treating them just like they wanted to be treated.

John would urge them to share their belongings and food with the poor, to do their work honestly and to be content with their wages. If only every evangelist today was like John!