Day 190: Does honesty pay? - Proverbs 11 vs 1- 8

1 A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight. 2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.

3-4 The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them. Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. 5-6 The righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight, but the wicked falls by his own wickedness. The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the treacherous are taken captive by their lust.

7-8 When the wicked dies, his hope will perish, and the expectation of wealth perishes too. The righteous is delivered from trouble, and the wicked walks into it instead. Proverbs 11:1-8 English Standard Version.

While I suspect readers of these devotions would all agree that honesty is the best policy – there are many people in the world who would disagree. Certainly, on the surface, it would appear that many dishonest people have made lots of money. We see it in business, politics and, sadly, even in religion. We ourselves may have been ripped off by an unscrupulous person in a business transaction. But what does the writer tell us is God's view of dishonesty? (vs 1)

In an age when people shopped at village markets, and goods were weighed on a scale, rather than in supermarkets where items are in pre wrapped packages, it was important that the seller used weights that were true. The word 'abomination' is a strong one. It implies deep disgust – and that's how God views all dishonesty. Verse 2 suggests that those who are most dishonest are people who are full of themselves. They are arrogant enough to not care what God thinks about their actions. So what is the long term outcome of being honest or dishonest? (vs 3-6)

I think the apostle Paul gives a good answer to that in 1 Timothy 6:9-10 when he says: “People who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil and some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.”

People who want riches are more likely to fall into the temptation of dishonesty and run the risk of messing up their lives and their faith. Paul started those words by saying “if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.” When people are discontented with their lot in life then the option of being dishonest looks attractive. A righteous person chooses rather to trust in God and His provision. What then is the final destiny of those who choose godly integrity and those who trusted in riches? (vs 7-8)

We've all heard the phrase that 'you can't take it with you!' That's true of rich honest people, but how much more it applies to those who gained their wealth by dishonest ways. None of us can buy our way into heaven. But while dishonest people are walking headlong into God's day of reckoning, those who have sought God's righteousness will be saved. Jesus told a story in Luke 16 that ended with an application of how to use money in the right way. He said:

“Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home. If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven?” (Luke 16:9-11)

Yes, honesty does pay! Believers who are honest in even the smallest things of life will be trusted by God with larger responsibilities. And there will be people in heaven who will be glad to have known these believers on earth because of the way God used them to touch their lives.