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A Balanced Life

 

Proverbs 11:1  A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight. 

While the above verse is primarily talking about business dealings, I think it is also applicable to our personal lives and how we deal with others. I believe the Lord wants us to live balanced Christian lives.

Concerning this verse Matthew Henry says the following in his commentaries of the Bible.

  1. Nothing is more offensive to God than deceit in commerce. A false balance is here put for all manner of unjust and fraudulent practices in dealing with any person, which are all an abomination to the Lord, and render those abominable to him that allow themselves in the use of such accursed arts of thriving. It is an affront to justice, which God is the patron of, as well as a wrong to our neighbor, whom God is the protector of. Men make light of such frauds, and think there is no sin in which there is money to be gotten by. But they are not the less an abomination to God, who will be the avenger of those that are defrauded by their brethren. 
  2. Nothing is more pleasing to God than fair and honest dealing, nor more necessary to make us and our devotions acceptable to him: A just weight is his delight. He himself goes by a just weight, and holds the scale of judgment with an even hand, and therefore is pleased with those that are herein followers of him. A balance cheats, under pretense of doing right most exactly, and therefore is the greater abomination to God.

Living a balanced Christian life is the core to what Jesus taught in Matthew 7:12 - Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.