Sunday Morning, January 10, 2010,

A just weight and balance are the LORD'S: all the weights of the bag are his work. - Proverbs 16:11

This morning, we were comforted with the singing of the old hymns, God's Way Is Best and Will The Circle Be Unbroken? Two of our brothers lost their mothers to death this past week. Bro Joe and Bro Lee's mothers both passed way within hours of each other on Thursday. Bro Lee's mother, Ruby, found out she had cancer late last years and she passed away in her sleep. Bro Joe's mother, Rita, had fallen a couple weeks ago and had broken her hip. She also passed away in her sleep.

These are difficult times for both families, but death is not the end of all things. In reality, it is just the beginning. Please keep these families in prayer, as well as all families who have recently lost loved ones.

Sis Debbie brought a lesson on the Justice of God. Proverbs 16:11 describes the Lord as one who uses a “just” weight and balance.  Justice can be compared to an old-fashioned scale.  The bible often uses imagery to relay a point, and this case is no exception.  True justice is only accomplished when the “scales” are balanced.  When an injustice is done to God or mankind, it is like placing something on one side of the scale.  When this occurs, what can set the scales right again?  Drawing on an example of a stolen watch taken from George MacDonald’s Discovering the Character of God, we can see that when a victim is violated (i.e. has his watch stolen), only 2 things can right the wrong that has been done.  Punishing the thief will not do it, as the victim is still missing his watch.  Neither will restoration of the watch alone as the hurt and sense of violation is still there.  Both Remorse and restitution by the offender are required to set things right again.  If restitution of the original article is not possible, then a promise to repay the victim at the victim’s discretion must occur.

Punishment will not balance the scale, although it may be helpful in bringing the offender to the point of repentance.  Punishment for the sake of “getting even” never accomplishes anything, nor does it pay for wrongdoings.  It is a means to an end; something that is inflicted to bring about a change in attitude in the offender.  Punishment will not balance the scale as the breech between the victim and offender has not been healed.  It takes deliberate action on the part of the offender to heal that breech.

When we have offended God and come to him for salvation, the scales of injustice are only set right by repentance (deep remorse of wrong and willingness to quit) and restitution.  At such point, mercy and forgiveness is granted as God’s heart is touched by our contrition.  And the scale is balanced once again.