December 20

Dec 20 - Today from Proverbs 20 we look at verse 23
"The Lord detests differing weights, and dishonest scales do not please him."

We tend to be quite confident as consumers in modern America. So confident, in fact, that we hardly think about being cheated by manufacturers. Consumer products must be clearly marked as to content, weight and volume and are regulated by state and federal agencies. When you buy a two-pound can of coffee, you don't have to go home and weigh it to see if you've been cheated. When you buy a gallon of gas (or 20), you don't have to worry if you've been shorted. We can tend to read right over this Proverb and never give it a second thought. But let's stop anyway. Is there a common principle here for us? A couple of principles come to mind.
Have you ever heard the term 'double standard'? That’s using one standard for a favored person or group, and another standard for the rest. Double standards do not please God. Being on staff in various public institutions, I have learned the importance of the term 'precedent'. It is a very frustrating term for people who desire 'favored status'. Public institutions should develop and maintain policy for the good of all the people. When an exception is made for any reason, how does one explain it to the next person who seeks exception? 'Profiling' can easily lead to use of a double standard. Prejudice is an ugly form of the double standard. Double standard can apply in personal, business, political and even spiritual life. We must be very careful in pandering to people who might curry 'favored status' with us whether it is because of their wealth, their position or their social status. 'God does not show favoritism' (Acts 10:34), and His children shouldn't either.
The other principle that comes to mind is that of issues. Have you ever heard the term 'weighting the issue'? It is a common every day practice with all of us - and it is the enemy of objectivity. It is difficult, if not impossible, to get the news 'fair and balanced' these days. People of influence can’t help but have opinions and agendas - including corporate network and publishing organization executives. Issues of the day become ‘weighted’ through their opinions and agendas. That is why they are considered 'powerful' people. Children and teenagers can be experts at weighting issues in order to tip them in their favor. "But all of my friends are going!" Parents try to throw in a counterbalance' "If your friends jumped off a bridge would you follow them?" In all fairness to the network executives and the kids, we are all experts in weighting issues. We desire a matter to go our way, so we give it an extra little appeal in whatever manner we can. We can even weight issues to 'help God' by exaggerating a testimony. There have been 'faith healers' that have been caught using audience plants by investigative reporters. Their excuse; 'We are building the faith of those who truly need real healing'. They were weighting the issue, and endangered their testimony and probably the faith of some poor souls whose objectivity was obscured by misdirected desire.
This little verse in Proverbs warns us that God frowns heavily upon use of double standards and of weighting the issues. They don't come with labels regulated by government agencies. We must be sensitive to His Spirit not to entertain the use of them in our own lives, and seek wisdom not to be manipulated by others who do use them.