Proverbs 20:6-10

Proverbs 20:6-10
English Standard Version
6 Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love,
    but a faithful man who can find?
7 The righteous who walks in his integrity--
    blessed are his children after him!
8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment
    winnows all evil with his eyes.
9 Who can say, “I have made my heart pure;
    I am clean from my sin”?
10 Unequal weights and unequal measures
    are both alike an abomination to the LORD.

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"Steadfast love" is usually a trait ascribed to the LORD Himself when He talks about His covenant love for His people.  However, this kind of love is sometimes used to describe the covenant love between two people (such as between Naomi and Ruth).  It is rare for people to have this kind of love for each other that is self-sacrificing, forgiving, merciful, patient, and endures through all kinds of pain and suffering.  Many a person may claim to have such love, but where are such faithful people when you actually need them?  Solomon says that actions speak louder than words.  Don't just say you love someone--be there for them in their time of need when everyone else has deserted them.

The righteous person walks in integrity.  His words and his actions are consistent with each other, and he is blameless in all his ways.  He sets an example for his children to follow after so that they too will be blessed by the LORD for walking in obedience.  The best inheritance that we can leave to our children is a strong faith for them to emulate and good character for them to strive to model themselves after.

The king has the responsibility and challenge to sit in judgment and sift out the wicked people who are dangerous to the community and judge them now for the wickedness they have done.  Easier cases would be tried before the justices in each tribe, but the harder cases came before the king.

There is a difference between saying we are blameless (our sin has been dealt with and there is nothing that God hold against us) and saying we are perfect (that we have committed no sin).  Solomon says that only a foolish person would claim they had never sinned.  We are all prone to error and rebellion, but the LORD cleanses us from all unrighteousness by the blood of Jesus if we come to Him by faith (see 1 John 1:9).

Last, but not least, Solomon talks about how the LORD hates partiality (treating different people differently).  The picture here is of a merchant that has two different sets of weights--one that gives true weights and measures, and one used to rip people off (be that his supplier so that he gets more than he was paying for or his customers so that they would pay for more than they were getting).  This type of lying and dishonest gain is an abomination to the LORD who is known as the Truth.  There is no falsehood within Him and His people should be truthful and honest in all that they do, even if it doesn't appear to their advantage to be honest in that situation.