Who do you want holding your scales?
In the farming community our livelihood depends largely upon fair scales. First we drive across the scale, to be weighed, then they test the grain for moisture. Both of these measurement affect the outcome of the pricing. If the scale is off just a little it can cost hundreds of dollars. The same can be said of the moisture tester, and whether or not it is accurate, depends on how much will be paid or deducted from the market price.
The old scales use to have large weights that would be added to the scale, until a balance would be reached and the weight of the commodity could be established. During the gold rush days, it is said the some of the assayers, (where the miners would sell their gold), were less than honest. They actually had two sets of weights, one had been hollowed out and then made to look unaltered. They used these weights to buy the gold at a bargain price from the miners. When they sold the gold they used the normal weights, pocketing the difference. This practice went on in other businesses selling commodities like, flour, seeds, sugar, etc., with less than honorable proprietors.
Times have certainly changed since the gold rush days, but the days of being an honest person has not. The bar, by which a man was measured, was his word. A man’s good name was contingent on both his word and his deeds. There is a saying that a man’s word is his bond. A hand shake use to be worth more than a contract. But I digress, times have changed, and rather that judge people and things fairly, many exceptions try to integrate themselves into those decisions. What we hope for the most, is being judged fairly, to buy something fairly and to sell something fairly. In other words we want what we deserve.
There will be a judgement day, and we will be accountable for everything we have said and done. Who do you want holding your scales, judging your sins against your righteousness? We are so blessed to be judged not by what we deserve from God, but by his mercy. Because his Son, Jesus Christ, paid for our sins and balanced the scales for us, and established our innocence under his blood.
As parents we need to teach our children not to be fooled by people, because of their appearance, rather by their actions and words. Honesty is a sign of good character, and people of good character are who you want their friends to be.
We as authors often stand as judge and jury, metering out justice as we see fit in our writings. Letting guilty people go free, without justice, even in a story, can set a precedent in vulnerable person’s ideology. Let us be careful what kind of messages we are sending.
But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
Deuteronomy 25:15
A false balance is abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is his delight.
Proverbs 11:1
Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure.
Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.
Leviticus 19:35-36
Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
John 7:24