Honest Scales — TDW Kids

Honest Weights

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Paul told masters to give “what is just and fair” (Colossians 4:1). Long before Paul, God told His people to be fair in the market.

God’s words. “You shall do no injustice in judgment, in measurement of length, weight, or volume” (Leviticus 19:35). God cares about how people measure, weigh and sell.

A market long ago. Sellers weighed grain, nuts or spices on a balance. The food went on one side, and stone weights went on the other side.

A sneaky trick. A cheater could carry a stone that was too light. Then the buyer paid for more food than he really got.

Honest scales. God said, “You shall have honest scales, honest weights, an honest ephah, and an honest hin” (19:36).

Ephah and hin. An ephah was a basket measure for grain. A hin was a jar measure for oil and other liquids.

Why it matters. God said, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt” (19:36).

Remember Egypt. God’s people had once been slaves in Egypt, treated cruelly and unfairly. God set them free. People God had rescued must never cheat others.

God sees. A cheater might fool a buyer, but not God. Proverbs calls God “He who weighs the hearts” (Proverbs 24:12).

All of God’s ways. God finished, “Therefore you shall observe all My statutes and all My judgments, and perform them: I am the Lord” (19:37). Being fair is part of loving God.

Hurting the poor. A cheater’s trick hurt families who needed every bit of food they bought.

Small things count. Taking a little from each person is still cheating. God cares about small things.

Fair when judging. Being fair also means listening to both sides when two friends argue, before deciding who is right.

God’s fairness. God is always fair. He never cheats anyone, and He keeps every promise.

Fair at school. Being fair looks like keeping score honestly, sharing snacks evenly and taking turns in a game.

Fair when trading. When you trade cards or toys, do not trick a younger kid into a bad trade.

Not always fair. None of us has always been fair. That is sin. Jesus, the only perfectly fair One, died on the cross for our sins and rose again. Everyone who trusts Him is forgiven.

What this means for you. This week, look for one way to be fair when no one is checking, and thank God that He is always fair to you.

Paul tells masters to give what is “just and fair” (Colossians 4:1). God’s law for Israel’s markets shows how long He has cared about fairness.

The command (Leviticus 19:35). “You shall do no injustice in judgment, in measurement of length, weight, or volume.” Fairness reaches the courtroom and the market stall alike.

Moznayim. Scales are moznayim (say: moz-nah-YEEM), a balance with two pans. Goods went on one pan and stone weights on the other.

The temptation. A dishonest trader might keep a light stone for selling and a heavy one for buying. The buyer might never know.

Honest measures (19:36). “You shall have honest scales, honest weights, an honest ephah, and an honest hin.” The ephah measured dry goods like grain; the hin measured liquids like oil.

The reason (19:36). “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.” Israel had known cruel treatment as slaves in Egypt. A people God had freed from slavery must never oppress others.

He weighs hearts. “Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it?” (Proverbs 24:12). God sees motives as well as measurements.

Part of obedience (19:37). “Therefore you shall observe all My statutes and all My judgments, and perform them: I am the Lord.” Fairness belongs to everyday obedience to God.

Fair judgment. Verse 35 begins with judgment: deciding fairly between people. Fairness listens to both sides before deciding who is right.

Length too. Cloth and land were measured as well. A cheater could cut a measuring cord short or move a boundary stone.

Who gets hurt. Cheating often hurts the people who can least afford it, like a widow buying flour for her children.

Small cheating. A trader might take only a little from each buyer. God still calls it injustice.

Dishonest weights today. They look like cheating on a test, inflating a score, or taking credit for a group project you barely helped with.

The just One. No one has kept honest scales perfectly. Christ “suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18).

Forgiven. He died on the cross for our sins and rose the third day. All who trust Him are forgiven and given new hearts that want to be fair.

Application. Think of one place where shortcuts tempt you, like scoring, sharing work or trading. Decide now to be honest there this week.

Worthy of His Wages

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Paul reminded masters that they “also have a Master in heaven” (Colossians 4:1). Jesus and James both taught that God cares how workers are treated.

Jesus’ words. When Jesus sent His followers out two by two, He told them, “for the laborer is worthy of his wages” (Luke 10:7).

What it means. A laborer is a worker. Worthy means deserving. A worker deserves to be paid for the work.

Food and a place to stay. Jesus told His followers to stay in the home that welcomed them and to eat what the people gave. That was fair pay for their work of telling the good news.

James’ warning. James wrote about workers who mowed fields but were not paid: “Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out” (James 5:4).

God hears. James said “the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.” The Lord of all heaven hears every worker who is treated unfairly.

Pay that belongs to them. Keeping back wages means keeping money that belongs to someone else. God says that is wrong.

A day’s pay. Many workers needed their pay right away to buy food for their families that night.

People in charge. Bosses, coaches and leaders must be fair, because God sees how they treat others.

Fair to helpers. Many people work for us every day: cafeteria workers, bus drivers, teachers and janitors. We can thank them and treat them with respect.

More than money. We can treat helpers as worthy with kind words, thank-you notes and by not making extra mess for them.

Honest workers. Workers should be honest too, doing the whole job they agreed to do.

Keeping our word. If you promise a friend a turn, or you borrow a dollar, do what you said and give it back.

Jesus’ fairness. Jesus never cheated anyone. He gave Himself completely for us.

Forgiven and changed. We have not always been fair or thankful. That is sin. Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose again. Everyone who trusts Him is forgiven.

What this means for you. This week, thank one person who works to help you, and keep one promise you made.

Paul reminds masters that they “also have a Master in heaven” (Colossians 4:1). Jesus and James show that the Lord in heaven cares how workers are paid.

Worthy (Luke 10:7). As Jesus sent His followers out two by two, He said, “for the laborer is worthy of his wages.” Worthy means deserving; the pay matches the work.

The setting. Jesus told them to stay in one home and accept its food and drink. Their hosts were not doing them a favor; they were giving what a worker deserves.

For every honest job. Jesus’ words reach every kind of work. Fair pay honors the worker, and honoring the worker honors the God who made him.

Wages kept back (James 5:4). “Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out.” To keep back by fraud is to keep money that is owed by cheating.

Heard in heaven. “And the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.” The great Lord of heaven hears the worker no one else listens to.

Paid on time. A day worker often needed that day’s pay to buy that night’s food. Keeping back wages could leave a family hungry.

No one above God. Wealth and position do not put anyone beyond God’s justice. The powerful answer to Him like everyone else.

Everyday fairness. Pay back what you borrow, finish the job you agreed to do, and treat service workers with respect.

Not only money. Treating workers as worthy also means respect: thanking them, speaking kindly and not making their job harder.

Promises are owed too. When we promise something in return for help, keeping that promise is paying what we owe.

Both sides. God hears the worker who is cheated, and He sees the worker who does honest work. Both matter to Him.

Gratitude. Thanking the people who serve us is one small way to treat them as worthy.

The faithful Worker. Christ did the work no one else could do. He died on the cross for our sins and rose the third day.

Received by faith. All who trust Him are forgiven and welcomed as God’s children (John 1:12).

Application. List three people whose work helps you each week. Thank each one this week, in person or with a note.

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