Proverbs 21:7
|
The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; because they refuse to do judgment.
|
Every time you cheat financially, you put another nail in your own coffin. What you call rounding, God calls robbery. What you call immaterial, God calls purloining. What you call borrowing, God calls stealing. What you call exaggerating, God calls lying. What you call bargaining, God calls extortion. The wicked cheat in their profane ambition and greed to get ahead. But God will destroy them for rejecting equity, fairness, and justice.
The context here is helpful. Solomon had just warned about treasures obtained by lying as a vanity that will eventually bring death (21:6). Before that, he commended diligence and condemned haste in financial and professional pursuits (21:5). Financial cheating, whether due to haste in business matters or falsifying information, is robbery. Such criminals do not fool God; He will destroy them; they should have learned righteousness.
Are you a robber? Do you purloin at work (Titus 2:9-10)? Did studying evolution keep you from learning English words? Purloin is a verb meaning to pilfer, to filch, to peculate to snitch. Are you still in the dark? It means to misappropriate or steal by small amounts, especially by violating trust placed in you. It is a forgotten sin today. Do you milk the time clock? Make personal calls at work? Take home office supplies? Surf the Internet on your office computer? Email friends? Take home magazines? Arrive late? Leave early?
Are you a robber? Do you like to buy low and sell high? Is buying low so important that you point out every flaw in things you buy to get the price lower and then boast to others about the "steal of a deal" you got? God hates it (20:14)! Is selling high so important that you believe you have the right to charge whatever price the market can bear, like in cornering a market? God hates it (11:24-27)! God will bless the man that buys and sells at market prices, especially with orphans, widows, or the poor involved. Learn judgment!
Are you a robber? Do you always use grace periods when paying? It is called grace because your creditor will not prosecute you for stealing from him! Do you cheat on income taxes? Do you give a full measure in every situation calling for one? Do you hold back payments without due dates? Do you return overpayments? Is your resume perfectly accurate? Do you defend others as carefully as yourself? Do you return borrowed items?
Are you a robber? If so, confess your sin to God, repay any thefts you can, and resolve to be perfectly honest in all business dealings. You need to learn judgment, which is knowing and doing what is just and right in every situation. The Bible and this book of wisdom were sent from the God of heaven to teach you righteous judgment. Learn them!
www.letgodbetrue.com
