Sound Advice

 

photo courtesy Danae

The older generation of Israelites, after their exodus from Egypt, wandered through the wilderness without entering the Promised Land. Forty years, the lifetime of a generation, had passed so it was the new generation that lived to enter the land of promise. However, before they were allowed to enter, God presented them with laws to live by.

Don’t use weights that are too heavy or too light. Don’t keep measures in your house that are too large or too small. You must use weights and measures that are correct and accurate. Then you will live a long time in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. The Lord your God hates people who cheat with false weights and measures. Yes, he hates all people who do wrong. – Deuteronomy 25:13-16 (ERV)

From this passage of Scripture, it’s clear that human nature hasn’t changed much in all these years.

You’ve been buying the same carton of milk for years at a certain price, then suddenly, you go to the supermarket, pick up the same milk but something seems off, the carton carries the same price, but the box is just a little bit smaller.

The manufacturer has adjusted the size of the carton, but the supermarket hasn’t adjusted the price, so you end up paying more for less.

Store owners are in the habit of having a sale when in fact, they’ve raised the prices of the items before the price “reduction”.

Sadly, changing the size, price, weight, and measurements of items, even food stuff, is a common practice that may be deemed immoral but it’s not illegal.

Humans are prone to being dishonest in financial and business dealings.

Years ago, I worked in real estate and one of my clients said to me. “You’ll never make it in this business, you’re too honest.”

I was not about to become dishonest in order to “make it” in real estate or any other business. I had no intention of benefitting from cheating, lying or short-changing anyone to earn a dollar. I was not going to treat others unfairly just to make a sale.

I have experienced firsthand the dishonesty by buyers, sellers and agents alike and I absolutely refused to follow suit. I refused to carry two kinds of weights or varying measures in my house.

As one translation says, “all who act dishonestly, are abhorrent to the Lord”; I don’t want to be in that category.

Beloved, even we, as Christians, can fall prey to our human instinct to gain an unfair advantage in financial dealings and other business transactions.

Don’t for a moment feel that what God told the younger generation of Israelites in Deuteronomy does not still apply to us today. We should take heed and allow this sound advice to govern our behaviour.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Sound Advice” © 2026 August 24, 2026