Proverbs 20:10 “Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the LORD.”
While reading this week, the Lord showed me something out of this verse. In practical application, this verse is a warning to schemers and thieves that had false weights, measuring instruments and weighing scales to increase their profit by stealing from customers or business partners. But, this verse also has a spiritual application: A Christian is vulnerable to having their judgement slowly eroded by the world if such a believer relies upon themselves as judge. It happens daily. Priorities change, perspectives alter, problems shake-up our routine and all the while these occurrences can affect our judgment concerning spiritual things.
Therefore put us examine “Recalibration” as today’s devotion. Verse 10 says that false Weights and Measures are an abomination before God and verse 23 says the same of False Balances. Those 3 things are our subject today.
1). False weights – these were the instruments set upon one side of a scale to properly portion out a certain unit of product. As followers of Christ, we daily measure how much we think God deserves from our life. I can convince myself, after erosion from carnal things, that God doesn’t require as much from me as he used to. That’s a false weight. We may stamp a certain value on the top of it claiming that it is correct, but God sees it as an abomination to rob Him of what is due him.
2.) False Measures – these could be various items (such as a length of cord, a measuring stick, buckets that were made for certain sizes, or even bags) but all were uniformly made and replicated so that everyone received the amount they purchased (i.e. a bucket that held exactly one gallon). It was common practice to constantly check your measures to ensure that neither party was being cheated. Likewise, our measuring stick of the standards which God expects of us will certainly skew unless checked regularly against the Word. Sin won’t be judged as wrong, separation will turn to integration, and the hedge will be broken … leading to a bite from the serpent.
3). False Balances – these are the antiquated versions of scales that had two platforms of equal weight suspended from a central fixed point that would “bob” up and down until equal, showing that both sides were even. These could easily be manipulated so that one plate was heavier than the other and produced a boon in profit while cheating the other party; for this reason most every trader had his own balance to check the results for himself. When it comes to the fruitfulness of our life, we are apt to tamper with the scale to favor our sense of fairness at the cost of God. His scale is always pure, showing what is precious and what is wood, hay and stubble. I may think the fruit of my labor is precious, but what matters is that my scale matches the scale of God.
Abomination is defined as “Extreme hatred of defilement or pollution.” Christians can lull themselves into a sense of security with skewed measuring devices, yet God looks on their actions with hatred. Christians have a duty to regularly check their scales against those of God to avoid such. How can one please if they are cheating the recipient? How can one serve if they rob the master? Yet, precious are those that judge themselves righteously as God has commanded.
Your fellowservant in Christ,
Bro. Jordan Foster
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