MASTER OF MEASURES

In the eleventh verse of the sixteenth Proverb we read:

A just weight and balance are the Lord’s. All the weights of the bag are his works.

In the days when these words were written it was the responsibility of the keeper of the weights to possess enough measuring tools to be able to assign a just value whenever he was called upon. Since the markets were portable and shifting, and the weights of individual merchants varied, the keeper of the weights was always nearby on market days with his true weights in a bag wandering from stall to stall. Thus both trader and buyer could be assured of a true weight of their goods.

Solomon uses the imagery of this ancient weight keeper to remind us that the Lord holds the ultimate bag of weights and measures whereby the lives of all mankind will be valued.

In his wisdom he reminds us that when we are placed on the scale of the Lord, man’s propensity toward self-deception and the delusionary dumpings of mortality will be cast aside and only the naked soul of man will placed on the scale to be weighed.

Possessions, positions and powers will be stripped and thrown upon the dross pile and man with his character alone will remain to be measured.
From His bag the Lord will draw weights for measuring wisdom, kindness, humility, faith, self-control, comfort, mercy and truth, a seemingly endless lexicon of attributes and qualities needed for one to be counted as valuable in the eyes of God.

It is doubtful in that day that we will look longingly at the mountain of minutia which we had placed so much importance upon before our passage, now seeing it cast so haphazardly aside. I suspect we will hang our heads, feeling somewhat betrayed by a world and a life which led us to believe that success would be measured by possessions, positions and powers.

Perhaps during these days when the bonnet of color is falling to the earth and the wimples of winter are coming upon us, reminding us of the freshening new beginnings of new seasons. It might also be a time when it would be well for us to take fresh stock of what we are accumulating to bring to the Master of weights and measures.

How much of what we possess will end up on the dung heap?

Will the positions we’ve clambered for be acclaimed, or lose their luster, in the illumination of His glory?

Will the powers we felt to be of such great importance seem as significant as we kneel before the King of Kings?

What will remain when all the importance of telestialness has been cast aside?

Stripped of all earthly finery, standing in immortal coverings, what will remain to be placed upon the tray to be weighed, measured and valued by the Lord?

Supporting thoughts from Proverbs 16:

13 Righteous lips are the delight of the kings; and they love him that speaketh right.

16 How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!

18 Pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.

19 Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.

21 The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.

32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

25 There is a way that seemeth right unto man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.