The Weight of Integrity

HIGHLIGHT: Proverbs 11:1. The LORD detests dishonest scales, but accurate weights find favor with him.

EXPLAIN: In this verse, there are a couple key items to notice. First is understanding that the LORD is one in whom we desire favor. The second is the realization that people do use dishonest scales. These kinds of scales are always to help them gain the advantage. Third, accurate weights are weights that everyone can trust and have faith in.

APPLY: This verse really jumped out at me today. As I said above, the Lord is the one that we are desiring favor from in our lives. This is not true of everyone, and if you are in that category that is totally your decision. However, if we call ourselves a disciple, and have committed our lives to serving God, then our desire is to seek his favor ~ or another way of saying that is to seek God's blessing. Always know that when the word bless is used, it is representative of God's work in our lives to restore wholeness to us.

There are those, however, that use inaccurate weights to barter, trade, make a living, etc. This process represented a way to live in the world of the Old Testament. People were often known to try and gain an edge and change the way the weights worked. This always had people on edge, and there was little to no trust in the process or in the people.

Wholeness in our lives is represented in relationships ~ between God, others, ourselves and the earth we inhabit. If we are using inaccurate ways to make ourselves look better, feel better, gain more simply so that we can enjoy our lives more, then we have missed the mark.

How do we misrepresent ourselves in these relationships? There is the spouse who lies to their spouse about what they are looking at on their phone. There is the employee who spends all day socializing and then works "late" to make the boss feel like they are working extra. There is the church attender who will pray only at the times of their greatest need expecting God to jump to attention. There is one who instructs people on how to save the planet with electric cars and who does not spend time taking care of their mind and body.

Each one of these is about someone misrepresenting themselves so that someone else will think better about them. However, when we live lives with integrity, seeking to live the life God has called us to live and recognizing that we have our own work to do, there is favor that is found in the Lord. Why? It is that type of mindset that allows God to do some of the best work. It is when we recognize that we are a continual work in progress, that we are on a lifetime journey of wholeness and holiness, that we will see God working in wonderful ways within our lives.

RESPONSE: God, may I come to the place where I am open before you. Have your way in me, bless me, as my goal continues to be a reflection of you in this world.