A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight. — Proverbs 11:1
I’ll never forget one time that I was shopping and I needed to use a scale to purchase some vegetables for a meal. I remember looking around and, finding the scale, started to load the vegetables to determine how many I could get for the price. There was just one problem, the scale was well under the 0 mark and would not go back to zero!
Now there are many times I would love for a scale to take some weight off, but in this instance, it would have been dishonest. I quickly located a different scale and notified one of the employees of what was happening. It most likely led to several upset customers at the register when they realized they had more vegetables than they thought!
While the illustration is given in this verse to that of a scale, the application goes much further. The statement refers to a scale that is modified in a way to deceive the buyer. It appears to be balanced, but it will quickly swing into the seller’s favor when used. It was a way to steal money from the buyer in the markets.
Many will use this illustration as an idea for Christians in their business dealings. That is certainly a great application. We must be honest in our dealings, not misleading people through deceitful actions. But if we are honest, the application should apply to several aspects of our lives, shouldn’t it?
God wants us to lead lives of honesty. There are many times when we have the opportunity to be deceitful in various ways. When you are presented with an opportunity such as this, which way do you choose? Do you choose to rig the balance in your favor or do you choose honesty? God is not pleased with deceitful actions and His desire is for honesty in the things we do.
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