Today the reading begins with an image of scales, the old-fashioned way vendors would sell their products. When they sold food or other items by weight, they would have a standard weight for their balance, so they (and you) knew you were getting what you paid for.
Imagine if you could charge someone for a pound of flour but give them “just a little bit” less. All it would take is to have your “one-pound weight” be “just a little bit” less than one-pound.
The scales would show you sold a pound, the person would pay for a pound, and you would be “just a little bit” ahead. Over time, that “just a little bit” would add up!
But it is never “just a little-bit”. Your actions scream your decision. You’re not in neutral.
You’ve decided to move in the direction of wickedness. “A false scale is an abomination to the Lord”, verse one.
This chapter, like the others, is full of advice. Today I notice there seems to be quite a bit about money. Consider:
· Verses 3 and 7…then read all 5 verses together from the perspective of how we go about seeking wealth.
· Verse 13…about taking pledges.
· Verse 18…about deceptive wages.
· Verse 24…about generosity.
It is not that God is opposed to wealth. God gave us the ability to work and earn a living. He is opposed when we chose it (or anything else) over our relationship with Him.
To be blunt: You and I are never in neutral. We are either moving towards God or away.
That is why the word righteousness runs again through this text.
When you read “righteousness” what do you think it means?
Most of us think it means “law-keeping”.
In the context of the Bible it is about much more. It is about our heart’s desire. Specifically, does our heart desire to stay in relationship to God, or is our love of ____________ more important (you fill in the blank, today we’re talking money).
To be clear, we (I) mess this up all the time. It is why we need Jesus. Jesus, his life, death, and resurrection, is what makes our “relationship right” with God.
Yet, having a “right relationship” with God through Jesus does not mean we ignore right living.
We are never in neutral. We are either moving towards God and His design for our life—or we are moving away.
When we fail (not if) we return via Jesus.
Proverbs paints the picture of how bad life will be when we pursue anything other then God and His Ways.
Here what I mean is not about our failings—it is about what we pursue!
We will fail. The question is, when we stand up, what will we pursue?
Scan the text again, what verses jump out at you, possibly even prick your conscience about where you are moving away from God. Don’t beat yourself up. Simply return to the Lord.