Questions from Our Readers

Thank you for this question. It nicely suits the set criteria for the Q&A page in The Banner of Truth. Perhaps the few lines that were added in addition to the abovementioned question remind us again that we must not too quickly assume that our children and young people understand expressions like the older ones do. I quote: “Having grown up with a weighted clock in the house, I have a general idea of what it means but wouldn’t mind clarification for myself. I suspect that youths and children, having grown up with digital clocks, would find this expression quite meaningless…”

To understand what is meant by the expression, we need to picture for a moment the old grandfather clock that I am sure you have seen somewhere. We have one in our living room. It is a simple fact that as soon as the weights of this stately piece of furniture touch the bottom of the clock because I forgot to wind them up, the clock inevitably stops ticking. So, in order for the clock to work and be useful in telling us the time, the weights need to be in a position where they do their work, so to speak.

Is it possible to detect a spiritual picture in this? Most certainly! In the life of grace, the weight of trials is often necessary for God’s children so that spiritual fruits become more evident. Think of the fruits of humility, self-denial, patience, longsuffering, and others. There are so many obstacles that are a threat to growth in grace and fruitbearing. To mention one such obstacle, perhaps the main one, I would single out the sin of pride. Pride is a terrible sin and very unbecoming in the state of grace. Now in order for pride to die and grace to flourish more and take deeper hold of a child of God, the Lord in His condescending mercy often hangs the weight of afflictions, trials, crosses, or thorns on the life of His children. This causes them, at times, to groan, to complain, and to cry out as we read in so many places of Scripture. However, we also read something else sometimes. David writes in Psalm 119:71, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn Thy statutes.” And in Isaiah 12:1 we read: “And in that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I will praise Thee; though Thou was angry with me, Thine anger is turned away, and Thou comfortest me.”

Recently, I read a striking and beautiful example which might comfort those afflicted souls bowed down under the weights of trials. It was a reference to what I often saw as a little child on a nearby farm in Klaaswaal where we lived during the years my father was a student at the theological school in Rotterdam. In those days there were no digital scales as we have them today. No, the scales that were used to weigh potatoes or veggies or whatever the farmer was selling consisted of a simple platform where the bag of goods was placed while on the other side there were— weights of steel, weighing five pounds, or ten pounds or more. On the one side there were the goods, on the other side the weights. When the balance was found, the weight was determined. Perhaps you can picture it; the goods were there with the needle of the scale right in the middle. So—as I read—the Lord places on the one side the weights of suffering, bitter, sour trials, difficult things, crosses etc., but on the other side there is the weight of the Saviour’s eternal love—and the scale is held by pierced hands. My dear reader, that is what gave me a little comfort and strength to go on in the midst of all that can press our shoulders downward. The blessed Saviour holds the scale, and He has not only laid a bottom in the suffering by His bitter suffering and death, but He also holds a balance in it. Then I could say, there needs to be weight on the clock. May you say that as well?

Send your questions to: Rev. H. Hofman, 2339 Deer Trail Dr. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505, or hofman@premieronline.net.

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