The right business perspective of the Christians
“The LORD detests differing weights, and dishonest scales do not please him” (Proverbs 20:23).
In order for us as Christians to live right life in God's perspective, we must have a right business perspective.
Look at Proverbs 20:23 – “The LORD detests differing weights, and dishonest scales do not please him.” If I think about “scales”, Proverbs 16:11 comes to my mind: “Honest scales and balances are from the LORD; all the weights in the bag are of his making.” Here, “scales,” “balances,” and “weights” refers to “scale.” And this scale measure accurately. In other words, this scale is a “fair” scale. In other words, it is the consistent scale. In addition to Proverbs 20:23, in verse 10, King Solomon says as follow: “Differing weights and differing measures-- the LORD detests them both.” What does it mean? It means that a wise Christian who fears God hates the differing scale that God hates. In other words, the wise Christians hate deception, which God hates. Thus we must hate the dishonesty that God hates. Rather, we must delight in accurate weights just as the accurate weights are God’s delight (11:1). In other words, we must be honest.
Perhaps in King Solomon's day some of the merchants deceived their customers by using their weights to deceive them from the quality, weight, or quantity of their goods (see Prov. 11:1). The way that the merchants deceived their customers was by using the 'double scale'. In other words, while the dishonest merchants used the light and small scale to give less grain when they sold grain, they used the heavy and bigger scale when they bought grain. If this applies to the reality in which we live, we can receive valuable lessons about how Christians in business should do the right work in the sight of God. In short, the lesson is to do business with the right business perspective. Here, the right business perspective is to seek honesty that God is pleased with, but hate the dishonesty that God hates. If we Christian merchants are dishonest in our commercial conduct, we must remember that God hates dishonest commercial conduct. Never should we do dishonestly for unrighteous gain. Rather, we must be honest in our commercial conduct.
In addition, the Bible tells us more about the right business perspective. One of them is found in James 4:13-17: “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.’ As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.” There are three lessons that Christian businessmen should learn from this Word:
First, the Christian businessmen must do good.
Look at James 4:17 – “Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.” The Christian businessmen need to know how to do good. The Bible says that even though they know they suppose to do good but don’t do it, it's sin. Look at 1 Timothy 6:18 – “Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.” The Christian businessmen should be generous. They should be willing to share and do a lot of good work. Look at Hebrews 13:16 – “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” The sacrifices that God is pleased with is doing good and sharing with others. Look at 2 Thessalonians 3:13 – “And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right.” If the Christian businessmen do good in their own strength, they will one day get tired and discouraged. But they will not be discouraged if they do good by the power of grace that God supplies.
Second, the Christian businessmen should not boast in their arrogance.
Look at James 4:16 – “But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.” The Bible says that it is evil for the Christian businessmen to boast in their arrogance. Look at Jeremiah 9:23 – “… let not a rich man boast of his riches.” Look at Psalms 49:6 – “Even those who trust in their wealth And boast in the abundance of their riches?” The Bible says not to trust in our wealth and not to boast our wealth. Rather, the Bible tells us to depend on God. And this is what the Bible says about boasting: “But, ‘Let him who boasts boast in the Lord’” (2 Cor. 10:17), “If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness” (11:30). The Christian businessmen should not boast of their strong things, but of their weaknesses. And they must boast in the Lord. Look at Jeremiah 9:23-24: “Thus says the LORD, "Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares the LORD.” We should boast of knowing God. God is pleased with this.
Third, the Christian businessmen should have attitude and habit of saying that “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that”, knowing that they are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away in the midst of planning to make a profit by doing business.
Look at James 4: 14-15: “Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.’” I think it’s not easy to have this attitude and habit. We need to intentionally strive to do so with God's help while we are praying to God. One of those efforts we can make is, in my case, I meditate on is this words of James that we are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away as I drive on a foggy day. When I see the fog, I think about the fact that my life is like a mist that appears for a little while and quickly disappears. When I keep on doing so, then I have more view of death. The Christian businessmen should also have the death perspective and ask themselves what kind of profit they should make. It is necessary for them to think and pray about what is more valuable and eternal and what God wants from them through their business.
In addition to James 4:13-17, there is another Bible verse that the Christian businessmen must know. It is Deuteronomy 8:17-18a: “"Otherwise, you may say in your heart, 'My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.' "But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, ….” We must keep in mind that it’s not our power and the strength of our hands that made us our wealth. We must never forget that we have wealth because God has given us the power to make wealth. The Christian businessmen who believe this truth will surely use their God-given wealth wisely for God’s glory and not in vain.
The Christian businessmen must have the right business perspective. The right business perspective is to do business honestly. And the Christian businessmen must do good and don't boast in arrogance. And they should know that their life is a mist that disappears after a short time. So they need to have attitude and habit of saying, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” And when they have gained wealth, they should not say “My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.” Rather, they must remember that it is God who is giving them power to make wealth.