Honest Business Practices

 I know the title of this post may not sound very spiritual to us, but it is part of God's instructions to us, as His people. There is a right way and a wrong way to do everything. Business is no exception. When we take time to reflect on our lives, we will realize that the businesses that we deal with all of the time have a huge impact on our lives. This is true, not just financially, but in other ways, too. That is why God gives us these instructions.

Back in Moses' day they did not have bar codes and digital cash registers. They had scales with weights and other measures to use to know how to charge for their products. (Deuteronomy 25:15,16) God commanded the people to use honest weights and measures, so that they would have a long life in the land the Lord their God was giving them. He let them know that anyone with dishonest weights and measures was detestable to the Lord. I believe there are some lessons for us here, too.

We are to be honest in all we say and do in our lives. We are to let our yes be yes and our no be no. We are not to practice any type of deception when we deal with other people. This goes for daily life and for business life. A business person was to be honest about what was being sold and the price he was charging. That way, the buyer and the seller could gauge if they wanted to do business with each other. That is the only way that any form of capitalism can work. It has to be based on ethical practices.

I believe that is why God tells us that by being honest we will be able to live long in the land. He is saying that is the way to make everything run well for the benefit of everyone. Then, God warns that a person with dishonest business practices is detestable to Him. He can't bless those who are dishonest in their business practices, whether it is dealing with the IRS or other entities. We should not ever want to get on God's bad side, so we should strive for the utmost honesty in all we do for the good of our society and for us. 

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Tomorrow, I intend to read Deuteronomy 26-28.