31 Days With the Book of Proverbs: A Daily Bible Study – Day 12
“A false balance is an abomination to YAHWEH, but an accurate weight is his delight.”
Proverbs 11:1
We may delight in a bathroom scale that is a little “off,” but we want the scales at the meat counter to be right on. Of course, we’re paying for that “Isaly’s chipped ham,” right yinz guys? And for that “pound of jumbo!”
My great uncle had a butcher’s stall in the old North Side Market (where North Side Commons is today, just north of PNC Park) and butchers in those days were notorious for weighing their thumb. Now of course Uncle Irv was honest, but, hey, some weren’t. And God cares.
The prophets ring this bell. Amos particularly complains about money that has been altered, altered boundary markers, and false measurements. In our country no one seemed to really mind until the “muckrakers” of the early 1900’s, people like Upton Sinclair and others, began to point out the thievery that was taking place. If we cheat in small things what will happen in big things?
“Honesty is the best policy.” Someone said that, perhaps Franklin? But it’s true. We hear today of churches being robbed from within…it can and does happen. Who are we kidding? Not God. God cares about the little things as well as the big things…and he loves all his children with a holy love. “Oh,” we say, “who’ll notice?” God does. ‘Nuff said.
Drew Harvey
Photo by Brody Childs on Unsplash
