Have you ever wondered why your coins have ridges? If you’re like most people, you probably haven’t thought much about it, but take a coin (any will do) and examine the edges. Quarters and dimes have layered ridges that move perpendicular to the coin, whereas nickels and pennies have a raised edge around the side.
Those exist so that the government can tell when a coin has been “clipped”—a practice of taking small pieces of a coin, combining them with other small pieces, and creating a brand new coin. It’s a form of counterfeit, but so subtle that most never pick up on it.
That subterfuge is precisely what God addresses here in Leviticus 19:35. When He tells Israel to “do no wrong in judgment, in measurement of weight, or capacity,” He’s commanding Israel to pay attention to the little details between people. Make sure that you never, ever cheat someone; in fact, go the extra mile to ensure the other person receives the exact right amount.
Why does God care about this so much? In my opinion, this represents a mentality that is part of the entire ethos of Leviticus 19.
This chapter is part of a broader section that is sometimes identified as the “Holiness Code.” It’s an informal name, but the gist is to micromanage everyday behaviors in order to align ourselves as closely as possible with what God would do.
Would God revere the aged? Would He look after the foreigner? Would He be fair in His judgment? If so, then we are called to do that as well, even if it means paying attention to the small things.
The Holiness Code repeats a phrase, too: We do these things because “I [God] is the Lord.” And, as we know from other passages, we are to be holy, as He is holy.
This distinction is important, because normally we think of the priests as being the ones to pay attention to this type of detail. Leviticus 19, and passages like this, show that everyone needs to be involved in making sure their lives align with God.
But there’s another reason why I think this equanimity is important. As God’s people, they were designed to be a light amongst the nations. People were to see God shining through them.
If what they saw was a nation that shortchanged others, what would that say about God? If they thought Israelites were dishonest, would they think God is dishonest, also?
In Matthew 5:16, Jesus says to “let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven.”
Is that true of me? Are the details of my life honest down to the smallest bit, so much so that people see that there’s a difference between me and others?
Will they trust me with their life?
And if not, will they trust me with their spiritual life?
