What do your scales tell?!
By Helen Jesze, 13th October 2018
“The Lord detests dishonest scales, but accurate weights find favour with Him,”
Proverbs 11,1 NIV
“God hates cheating in the marketplace; he loves it when business is above board,”
Proverbs 11,1 Message Bible
This morning, at breakfast, I was reading the label on a jar of raspberry jam, and noticed the weight of 340 grams. The price for this jam had been the same as if it was 500 grams, that is, one pound in weight. It was another example that in modern life we are often “short-changed” in weight and amount. A bag of crisps seems to have hardly any crisps in, just a few mouthfuls. I remember them from years ago, when they contained many more! This is happening with many things, and we, as the buyers, have to look carefully at prices and weights, so that we are not being fobbed off with so little, yet paying the same or an even more expensive price.
In the above text, we are told that God notices if we cheat, and he does not like it! He firmly told the people of Israel, that he was the God who brought them out of Egypt and they were to practise honesty and not cheating. This was especially in regard to the measuring scales they used. It was possible to make the scales balance wrongly, so the buyer would not have the full amount. God hated this, and today he also tells us to be honest in business and in everyday life.
In Daniel 5, we read about the heathen king, Belshazzar, who gave a great feast and had the audacity to command that the gold and silver vessels which had been robbed from God’s temple should be brought, so that he and all his guests could drink toasts to the idols and gods which he worshipped. Suddenly when the party was in full swing, a hand appeared and began to write some words on the wall. The king was terrified, and called for his wise men and astrologers to tell him what they meant, but none of them knew.
The queen heard that the king was so troubled and came in to see what was wrong. She then told him of a man called Daniel, who had been captured from the land of Israel, and could interpret dreams. When Daniel was brought in, God gave him the interpretation: “The words are: Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin. Mene means: God has numbered your kingdom and finished it! Tekel means: You have been weighed in the balances and are found wanting! Upharsin or Peres means: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians!” God was about to end the reign of this wicked king, for that very night he was murdered. He had been weighed in God’s balances and was too light, there was no moral or spiritual weight or substance to him.
But I heard a modern story of “God’s weights”. A lady missionary was serving on a lonely mission station in Africa, with the nearest white people hundreds of miles away. When she contracted smallpox, none of her native servants knew what to do. There was no doctor, except the witch-doctor and they did not want to call him!
As she lay in bed with a high fever, this missionary began to complain. “Lord, I’ve served you so many years. I’ve fought through danger and loneliness, catastrophes and illness, always trying to obey you, and this is how you reward me! I’m dying and there’s nobody now to help me! Even you seem to have left me!” Suddenly she had a vision of a large pair of scales. One side was right down and the other side up in the air. She was given to understand that on the heavy side were her moanings, grumblings and smallpox, while on the other side were praises, worship and healing.
“Oh, Lord, I see it now!” she cried, and she began to praise the Lord. Her maid and house-boy were standing outside the door listening, and they looked at each other. What was this? “She is talking to herself, the fever is making her delirious!” But then they heard her singing in a hoarse, cracked voice praises to the Lord.
The vision of the scales was still there, and as the missionary continued to praise and worship, even though sometimes she went in and out of consciousness, she saw the praise-side of the scales going down until eventually, they reached the floor, and she was healed!
So, what are your scales looking like today? Are they ‘a just measure’, or are they dishonest and cheating? Are your scales full of moaning and grumbling, or full of praise and worship?
With God’s help, turn your life around today!
Prayer: Heavenly Father, forgive me for any dishonesty and cheating in my life. Show me what I need to put in order. Wash me clean, that I might find favour in your eyes. Make me a man/woman who delights to praise and worship you; let grumbling and complaining find no place in my mouth, for you are worthy to be praised! In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.
Leave a Reply