A Just Balance and Scales BELONG to the LORD...

Proverbs 16:11 says: A just balance and scales belong to the LORD; All the weights of the bag are His concern.


Just giving it a cursory reading it says to me: Renee, justice belongs to God, and the fairness/unfairness are his concern, not yours. Which seems like it’s telling me to quit complaining about life not being fair because it’s not my concern, it’s Gods.

But is there something more to this verse that my superficial reading is missing?

Shall we get out the dictionary and break it down?

First up: A just balance and scales belong to the LORD.
Just is a synonym for Fair.
Balance and scales are the things that items are measured with.
Belong can mean that something is the property of someone or something else – the just and balanced scales are the property of God.

BUT:

Belong can also mean to be an attribute, part or function of a person or thing – the just and balanced scales are an attribute of God, part of who He is.

Instead of telling me simply that Justice belongs to God (which is true) it could also be telling me that Part of God’s very nature is being fair and just.

Next up: All the weights of the bag are His concern.
All the weights of the bag refers to the standard used to measure. There should be one weight but sometimes people would use differing weights in their bag to cheat others.
Concern can be defined as ‘being the business of’ again, making my original understanding that the weights of the bag are his business, not mine accurate.
BUT:

Concern can also mean ‘to care’. Meaning that He cares about all the weights of the bags and in turn their fairness/unfairness.

Now we have two sort of different views on this verse:

Renee, justice belongs to God and the fairness/unfairness is his business not yours.
and
Renee, God’s very nature is being fair and just; which is why he cares about the fairness of the weights of the bag.

Both things are necessary for me to hear.

Knowing that by His own nature God is Fair and Just and that He cares about the weights of the bag (fairness in measure) helps me. Focusing on His desire for justice and fairness helps release some of my own desire to be in charge of the scales which belong to Him. It helps me to see that it’s okay for me to give up my desire to exact my own payment and compensation when I believe the weight’s in the bag are deceptive and false because I know God, who does everything perfectly, will mete out justice perfectly as well.

No, things will not be perfect here on earth. Yes I will have to deal with life not being fair. I will constantly long for fairness and justice – which is right and good. However, I can be freed from the burden of holding onto bitterness and a desire to retaliate against the injustice and unfairness I have and will face here on earth. How? By realizing that one day all of that will be taken care of by someone with far more power than I will ever have. I can let go and instead of worrying with justice I can concern myself with trying harder to show God’s Love and Mercy – which I am so thankful I receive in abundance every day.