It’s honest work. Take pride in what you do…”
–Kenneth Pratt (To Kill a Dragon)
The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good.”
–Proverbs 15:3 (NKJV)
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We are back to our study in Proverbs. This week we will look at Proverbs 11:1: Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight.” (NKJV) If you want to be a “delight” to the Lord, be honest in all your dealings, in all your work–in other words in your life. “One of the greatest mistakes we can make in our Christian walk is to compartmentalize life. We must take the ways of God into every detail of our work and leisure activities, and not just into our time of formal worship, study, and prayer.” This is a great and important truism written by Bob Beasley. It is the old saying, “He is Lord of all, or He is not lord at all.”
This verse speaks to dishonesty, greed, and cheating. For what–just a little more money, a little more gain, a little more advantage, a little more prestige, a little more pleasure? You’ve seen the cartoons of the butcher who weighs meat with his thumb on the scale where the customer cannot see. Just a few more cents out of your pocket. Perhaps you’ve been involved in a group project at work or at school. There is one person who cheats for his grade by allowing you and the others to do the work and to carry them along. Dishonest welfare, taking from those who pay by those who could work, but won’t.
One day the score will be settled, the scales will be made just. God will even the score. Dan Dick says, “Those who live by deception will find themselves outside of the grace of God. No one who makes their living by the blood, sweat and tears of others can be numbered among the children of God.”
Honesty! What a delight in the day in which we live. A handshake used to be the sign of a contract. Your name, your character, was your bond. At one time I offered to support Fred Deaver, a lay minister and artist. He refused. However, he said he would make a painting for me and I could pay monthly. That way, he said we both received something. All he needed from me was a handshake saying I would pay so much per month. My character was on the line…and no way was I going to miss a payment. With a handshake all there is to the contract then is trust–honesty.
A “just weight” is a true standard. You get what you paid for. A criminal is someone who has not fulfilled the requirements of the law. As Judge Parker (the “Hanging Judge’) said, “I never hung anyone, the law hung them.” A transgressor of the standards must face the consequences of those standards. One reason there is so much confusion and chaos today is because people think they are a law unto themselves; that truth is relative. Know this–God hates a false balance. Notice the term: it is an “abomination”.
Melancthon tells us that all “ordinance of Divine wisdom and justice are effectively superintended by God.” He sees all, and He will judge all. I’ve heard people say on many occasions that if you don’t get caught you didn’t break the law. Hmmm, tell that to the Almighty Judge of the Universe. That is a lie straight from the pit. The writer of Hebrews says, “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” (4:13, NKJV) The Living Bible puts it this way, “He knows about everyone, everywhere. Everything about us is bare and wide open to the all-seeing eyes of our living God; nothing can be hidden from him to whom we must explain all that we have done.” So keep your thumb off the scale, your eyes on your own paper. Be sure to account honestly for your time at work, so clock in too early or too late–work for your pay.
The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good.”
–Proverbs 15:3 (NKJV)
——————————–
We are back to our study in Proverbs. This week we will look at Proverbs 11:1: Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight.” (NKJV) If you want to be a “delight” to the Lord, be honest in all your dealings, in all your work–in other words in your life. “One of the greatest mistakes we can make in our Christian walk is to compartmentalize life. We must take the ways of God into every detail of our work and leisure activities, and not just into our time of formal worship, study, and prayer.” This is a great and important truism written by Bob Beasley. It is the old saying, “He is Lord of all, or He is not lord at all.”
This verse speaks to dishonesty, greed, and cheating. For what–just a little more money, a little more gain, a little more advantage, a little more prestige, a little more pleasure? You’ve seen the cartoons of the butcher who weighs meat with his thumb on the scale where the customer cannot see. Just a few more cents out of your pocket. Perhaps you’ve been involved in a group project at work or at school. There is one person who cheats for his grade by allowing you and the others to do the work and to carry them along. Dishonest welfare, taking from those who pay by those who could work, but won’t.
One day the score will be settled, the scales will be made just. God will even the score. Dan Dick says, “Those who live by deception will find themselves outside of the grace of God. No one who makes their living by the blood, sweat and tears of others can be numbered among the children of God.”
Honesty! What a delight in the day in which we live. A handshake used to be the sign of a contract. Your name, your character, was your bond. At one time I offered to support Fred Deaver, a lay minister and artist. He refused. However, he said he would make a painting for me and I could pay monthly. That way, he said we both received something. All he needed from me was a handshake saying I would pay so much per month. My character was on the line…and no way was I going to miss a payment. With a handshake all there is to the contract then is trust–honesty.
A “just weight” is a true standard. You get what you paid for. A criminal is someone who has not fulfilled the requirements of the law. As Judge Parker (the “Hanging Judge’) said, “I never hung anyone, the law hung them.” A transgressor of the standards must face the consequences of those standards. One reason there is so much confusion and chaos today is because people think they are a law unto themselves; that truth is relative. Know this–God hates a false balance. Notice the term: it is an “abomination”.
Melancthon tells us that all “ordinance of Divine wisdom and justice are effectively superintended by God.” He sees all, and He will judge all. I’ve heard people say on many occasions that if you don’t get caught you didn’t break the law. Hmmm, tell that to the Almighty Judge of the Universe. That is a lie straight from the pit. The writer of Hebrews says, “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” (4:13, NKJV) The Living Bible puts it this way, “He knows about everyone, everywhere. Everything about us is bare and wide open to the all-seeing eyes of our living God; nothing can be hidden from him to whom we must explain all that we have done.” So keep your thumb off the scale, your eyes on your own paper. Be sure to account honestly for your time at work, so clock in too early or too late–work for your pay.