A Measurement Standard. . .

A kilogram is currently defined by a standard cylinder of platinum-iridium alloy which is kept at the International bureau of weights and measures near Paris, France. On May 20th of this year a new definition will replace the platinum-iridium artifact association. The new definition will be: taking the fixed numerical value of the Planck constant h to be 6.62607015×10−34 when expressed in the unit J⋅s, which is equal to kg⋅m2⋅s−1, where the metre and the second are defined in terms of c and ΔνCs.

A second is defined as the amount of time a cesium-133 atom takes to vibrate 9,192,631,770 times.

A compass points to the magnetic pole of the earth to determine the direction north.

A meter is defined as 1,650,763.73 wavelengths of orange-red light, in a vacuum, produced by burning the element krypton-86.

In each of these cases, a measurement is determined by something outside of what is being measured. . . something independent of the measurer.


Where am I going with this? For the first 45 years of my life, I thought myself to be a highly moral, righteous person, but my morality was measured by no outside standard. I thought myself to be a good and righteous person, and my opinion was all that I used for my self-measurement.

I had occasional instances of selflessness, altruistic behavior, and that was how I judged myself. I gave $20 to a street person, and basked in my goodness and righteousness. . . I ignored the times I stole. . . the lies I told. . . the drunkenness. . . I was blind to my darkness. I only saw the times of my light. With no outside standard, every man or woman can measure themselves to be 10 feet tall. . .

If you have never seen anything purely white, it is easy to consider any shade of gray to be white. . . When I came to God, my former righteousness was shown to be for what it truly. . . filthy rags, compared to His spotless robes.

Before coming to God, I had no outside independent standard against which to compare my behavior. My measured morality was always favorable to my behavior. It is impossible to accurately measure your own morality.

What is your moral foundation? What standard do you measure your behavior against? The standard of the world. . . the ever changing behavior of what everyone else around you is doing? Or have you an unchanging independently fixed standard?

My rapid conversion 18 years ago, from a life of no fixed standards to one with a fixed moral code still quakes and shudders within me. I can still see and feel the shame of my old behavior, and how fooled I was in my prideful thinking of how good and righteous I was. . . How wrong I was. . . how utterly wrong. . .

How thankful I am for God’s mercy and forgiveness. . .
How thankful I am for God’s saving me from my darkness. . .

I love you my God. . .
A thousand times I love you my God. . .

<3

Dave