day 1044: Fairness

"The LORD demands accurate scales and balances; he sets the standards for fairness."

Last week, there was a significant ruling against the global bank, UBS. It's a long and arcane tale of many years of a group of people scamming the LIBOR ( LIBOR is the London Interbank Offered Rate and among the most common of benchmark interest rate indexes used to make adjustments to adjustable rate mortgages). What had happened was a group of people were colluding to sway the rate up or down in their favor and then would invest on the knowledge of what the changes would be.  The best explanation I heard of what was happening was that it would be like taking the international kilogram weight standard (which happens to be a piece of metal that is locked in a vault in Switzerland) and each day shaving off a little bit or adding some weight and then gauging all of the weight measurements for the day off of the adjusted standard. Imagine that for a day, a pound of coffee could be sold at its' full price, but the manufacturer was able to package an ounce less than a full pound.  There would be a lot of savings in material and as such, a lot of money to be made.  So, that is what happened and some guys got caught with their hands in the cookie jar. What can cause us to lose sight of fairness and take advantage of others?  It can only be greed and our self-serving attitudes.  Let's never lose sight that we must be fair in all that we do, or we risk the loss of reputation, or worse.

Fairness can feel hard to know but when in doubt we must return to the One who holds the ultimate scale for all of us.  We are fortunate that we have God's Word and presence in our lives to help us determine what is truly fair and equitable. That said, we all know where the bright line of fairness is and that we cannot cross. Our example as believers is important and crucial in furthering God's Kingdom. Let's at this year-end take an extra assessment of ensuring that we are being fair and equitable with all of those around us, in our work and at home.

Reference: Proverbs 16:11 (New Living Translation)

Day 685: Fair Trade

"The Lord demands fairness in every business deal; he sets the standard."

Fair trade treaties are written between countries to ensure that a set of business standards are set and followed. We have laws in the United States that regulate how we can advertise, market, represent products, set pricing, etc. Yet, with all of this, we find businesses and business people who still try and tilt the scales away from fairness and take advantage of a consumer or a vendor. What should be fair, can easily end up being unfair. I sometimes marvel at the companies that have payment terms that are on receipt (immediate) when they themselves won't pay their vendors for 30, 60 or even 90 days. We take it for granted that this is fair because the company gets the cash flow, etc. but for that vendor who barely makes it by, they don't see the fairness. We seem to forget in business and how/when we create our policies and practices that what is good for one should be good for another, or better said, we should only do unto others what we would want done to us. If we lead a business, or any part of it, it would be a good practice to review and evaluate policies against a standard of true fairness.

As believers, followers of Jesus, and striving to be good business people, we can't ignore the words of Solomon in Proverbs 16:11. He tells us that the Lord "demands" fairness. Notice this is not, "wants" or "desires", Solomon tells us that fairness is a requirement! And, this is not in some events and circumstances, but instead in "every business deal". It is God who sets the standard that we must follow. If we cut a corner, if we tip the scales, if we don't establish fairness as our way of doing business, then we are not living up to His standards. Today, let's take a look at how fair we are being and be sure that we are working and living up to His standard!

Reference: Proverbs 16:11 (New Living Testament)