Suppose that you ordered an expensive custom bowling ball online, and you want to know if it really weighs seven kilograms like the ad promised (Hey. . . it could happen). How could you determine the actual weight of your rare bowling ball? You would weigh it on an accurate scale, of course! How would you know that the scale is accurate? Scales can go out of adjustment and be wrong, you know. Scales used in science and in commerce are kept accurate by calibration. In other words, the scale-maintenance-people test the readings on scales by seeing if they match up with some unchanging, know-to-be-exact quantity of weight.
In the late 1800's, scientists in Europe agreed on what the exact weight of a kilogram is. A small weight (composed of the metals platinum and iridium)- which equalled one kilogram- was named the "International Prototype Kilogram" and was safely stored away. It is said that every 40 years, scientists from various countries are allowed to take this IPK out for examination. In measuring their own countries' kilograms against the ultimate standard for what a kilogram weighs…. the scale and science boys can keep things honest.
"Look ma! I handled the kilogram!"
I can see how it would be a big deal to handle the IPK. I mean, think about it: Any old scientist could use generic scale in the lab down at the local high school. But how many people ever get to see the scale or touch the weights that all other weights are measured against?
It reminds me of being in high school back at Southeast Guilford where I attended in rural North Carolina. There was this little scale back in science lab. It was painted sort of white and black, and had a pan on one end for weighing things like milky quartz rocks, stinky sulphur powder, or the small brain that my teacher (Mr. Helms) removed from a dead rat. The scale had with it a cool set of little gold colored weights with it. We would carefully balance the scale, and perhaps observe, "Wow! A two gram brain… that must have been one intelligent rat!" Had we not had those little counter-weights, our pursuit of scientific knowledge (or rat brain weights, at least) would have been impossible.
In 2007, it was announced that after one hundred uneventful years, the IPK kilogram didn't seem to weigh the same as it had. When scientists had their regular, "let's get the official kilogram out of the box so we can say we handled it" time, a disturbing discovery was made. Supposedly, the IPK was off. Not much- but enough for scientists to be alarmed. Somehow, the weight of the International Prototype Kilogram had changed. The scientific community was asking, "So how do we really know what the ultimate standard for a kilogram is?"
Theories were tossed about: Had the scientists in the late 1800's measured wrong? Had the metal object somehow lost some of its mass? Were our modern, computerized scales more accurate than previous scales- or less- and therefore giving a weight that conflicted with the old familiar kilogram amount? So far, no single answer has been agreed upon. But uncertainty about the weight of a kilogram didn't make gas any cheaper, or cause the price of a one liter bottle of water to go down! (A liter of water weighs one kilogram).
An unchanging standard
The Bible is like that IPK, only better. The Bible is the standard for goodness, morality, virtue, knowledge about God, and the truth about salvation. The Bible is our measuring stick- our ultimate standard by which right is affirmed and wrong is exposed. But the Bible is different from the IPK in two ways: Choice and change. Humans didn't arbitrarily decide to make the Bible the ultimate standard; In His grace God revealed His Word to the human race. And regarding change…. In this ever-transient world, it is good to know that there is something that will last forever, impervious to the tides of time and culture- The Bible, God's Word.
About Alex McFarland
Author, educator, and speaker Alex McFarland has spoken in all 50 states and internationally. He is the founder of Truth For A New Generation, the nation's largest conference on apologetics and evidence for the Christian faith.
This is a beautiful illustration on how we are to measure our lives against God's Word!!! God bless you Bro. McFarland:0)
ReplyDelete