Paul, organising a relief gift, is careful in the same direction. He takes steps to avoid blame in administering “this generous gift.” Why? Because he wants what is right not only “in the sight of the Lord” but also “in the sight of man.” Accountability is not distrust; it is love for truth.

In matters of policing, transparency can feel costly. Yet hiddenness is costlier still. Light is not the enemy of good officers; it is their shelter and their honour. Where processes are clear, the innocent are defended and wrongdoing has fewer places to hide. When the vulnerable cannot see how decisions are made, trust withers. When wrongdoing is protected, neighbours learn fear.

Lord, give us public life that can bear light. Strengthen oversight, honest reporting, and fair investigation. Protect whistleblowers and victims, and restrain defensiveness in institutions. And make your Church a truthful people, able to pray without propaganda: seeking justice with patience, mercy with seriousness, and integrity with hope.