Tiny Windows of Heaven

The Curious Balance of Scaleborough

The Curious Balance of Scaleborough

You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.
Daniel 5:27

Nobody knew how it got there; it had simply appeared overnight.

There it stood, right in the middle of the market square of the small town of Scaleborough: a two-pan balance made of shiny silver, its two large copper pans big enough for a full-grown adult to stand on.

Mayor Quibble Quentin stared in awe at the magnificent scale. It must have taken a group of people serious effort, to place such a contraption exactly where it stood. Beautiful, yes, also deeply disconcerting, since nobody took credit for having built it.

Police officer Hank Fumble promised to investigate, but he was as clueless as everyone else.

Then Coach Buck Slammer shouted in loud, excited tones, “It’s a balance to measure our value. Our worth!”

“What are you talking about?” cried Mayor Quentin.

“Says it right here,” Buck replied, pointing to a golden plate fixed at the foot of the balance.

Welcome to the Balance of Worth!
This balance weighs the worth of the honorable citizens of Scaleborough.
Step forth and see. Who among you is the worthiest?
The scale will decide.

Soon everyone crowded around the scale to read the inscription for themselves.

“It’s great,” Mayor Quibble declared in a loud voice, adopting his usual air of importance. “Finally, we can settle this matter once and for all. I will show you all that I am among the worthiest in this town.”

“Are you sure you want to do that?” Hank Fumble cautioned. “You don’t know what it might do to you, once you step on.”

“Nonsense,” Quibble said, brushing the concern aside. “Out of my way.”

He hoisted himself onto the balance and climbed into the left pan, standing tall with a large, victorious grin on his face.

“Let the party begin.”

At first, nothing happened. The mayor scratched his head.

Then Fiona Fickle cried out, “There’s a button!” She pointed to a red button beneath the pans, engraved with a single word: START.

“Ah, of course,” Quibble said with a satisfied sigh, and he pressed it.

Instantly, the pan beneath his feet shot upward with such force that the mayor lost his balance and nearly tumbled off. Laughter rippled through the crowd like a sudden gust of wind.

Clearly, the mayor’s worth was rather light.

When the scale slowly returned to its original position, Quibble climbed down and quickly disappeared into the crowd.

“Let me try,” said Buck Slammer. “Surely I’ll do better than that.”

He rolled up his sleeves, showing off his muscles, then climbed onto the pan and pressed the button.

The same thing happened.

Moments later, the town’s proud coach stepped down again, just as humbled.

Several others tried. Hank Fumble. Greedy Greg. Fiona Fickle.

All of them were weighed in the balance, and found wanting.

Just as Gravy Grant suggested the scale was broken and not worth their time, Worthless Wilbur, the local beggar approached.

“I’ll try,” he said quietly.

The others burst out laughing.

“If the scale doesn’t even appreciate our goodness,” Greedy Greg scoffed, “what will it do to you, Wilbur? Surely, you’ll be catapulted clear into the next town.”

Wilbur Worthless merely shrugged. With his arthritis-ridden legs, he slowly managed to climb onto the pan.

“This will be grand,” Hank Fumble snickered.

“Priceless,” Fiona Fickle agreed.

Silence fell over the market square as Wilbur pressed the button.

His pan did not move.

Instead, the opposite pan shot upward and slammed into the metal bar above with a loud clang.

“W-what is going on?” Hank Fumble stammered. “That can’t be right. We’re far better than Wilbur Worthless… every one of us…”

But the scale told a different story.

And the moral of the story?

God measures by a standard the world no longer recognizes. We are wise to learn to see with the eyes of the Spirit, and to leave our worldliness behind.

Prayer

Lord, deliver me from the spirit of pride. My arrogance stands in sharp contrast to Your gentle mercy. Teach me to live in step with Your Holy Spirit. Amen.