The Standard of Justice

The Standard of Justice

You shall have honest scales, honest weights, an honest ephah, and an honest hin. — Leviticus 19:36

Weights, scales, and measures were all to be according to the standard of justice. Surely no Christian will need to be reminded of this in his business, for if righteousness were banished from all the world beside, it would find shelter in believing hearts. There are, however, other balances that weigh moral and spiritual things, and these need to be examined often. Are the balances in which we weigh our own and other men’s characters entirely accurate? Do we not turn our own ounces of goodness into pounds, and other people’s pounds of excellence into ounces? The scales in which we measure our trials and troubles—are they properly set?

Paul, who had more to suffer than we have, called his afflictions light, yet we often consider ours heavy—surely something must be wrong with the weights! We must see into this matter before we get reported to the court above for unfair dealing. Those weights with which we measure our doctrinal belief—are they quite fair? The doctrines of grace should have the same weight with us as the precepts of the Word, no more and no less; but it is to be feared that with many, one scale or the other is unfairly weighted.

It is a vital matter to give honest measures of truth. Christian, be careful here. Those measures in which we estimate our obligations and responsibilities look rather small. When a rich man gives the work of God the same amount as the poor contribute, are things properly weighted? When pastors are neglected, is that honest dealing? When the poor are despised, while ungodly rich men are held in admiration, is that a just balance? Reader, we could extend the list, but we prefer to leave it as your work to identify and destroy all unrighteous balances, weights, and measures.

Culled from Evening by Evening by Charles Spurgeon