Walking with the Wise #78: Don't Cheat!

“A false balance is an abomination to the LORD,

but a just weight is His delight.”
—Proverbs 11:1

How do we treat others? The Bible says that our love for God will be seen in how we love and treat others (cf. 1 John 4:10-21). Customarily called “the Golden Rule,” Jesus taught us that we are to treat others how we wish to be treated: “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets”—Matthew 7:12.

If we don’t want to be swindled, taken advantage of, or lied to, we must be careful how we deal with others, making sure that we aren’t seeking our own benefit at others' expense. Honest business practices, integrity in our financial pursuits, and ethics rooted in the Bible must be the hallmarks of a Christian.

Solomon warned of deceptive business practices, such as a false balance. A measuring scale could be tipped to favor a certain person or weight in business, thus enabling the person employing the false balance to have an unfair advantage in business transactions. In the sight of God, such a practice is considered an “abomination” to the Lord. God wants us to treat all people without partiality (cf. James 2:1). Therefore, our goal is to treat others fairly. If we want God to bless our business and financial pursuits, we must endeavor to be men and women of integrity in our business dealings.

How about you? Are you honoring God with your money? Are you seeking to get ahead by cheating others? Be fair and honest. If you are a servant of the Most High King, then you need to act as such, making sure that there is no corrupt or deceitful practice in your life that is not becoming to Jesus. When we employ a false balance and we call ourselves Christians, then God’s name is impugned whenever our deceit is discovered.

Cast off all wicked and deceitful practices, be honest and upright, and watch God honor you for His glory and your joy. Amen.