“The Measuring Rod” There was once a small village situated in a remote and beautiful valley. The people of the village lived simple lives, and for the most part, got along fairly well with one another. There was one subject, however, that seemed to always spark arguments, debates, and occasional fights. Whenever something needed to be measured... a length of cloth, the height of a horse, a plot of land... there always seemed to be disagreement as to whose measuring rod should be applied to the measurement. You see, almost everyone in the small village had their own measuring rod... and each measuring rod was of a different length. The blacksmith’s measuring rod was a bit longer than the baker’s, and a little shorter than the cabinet maker’s rod, and so on. Each person believed, very strongly, that his or her measuring rod was the correct measuring standard. Most business transactions, where something needed to be measured, often required days of negotiations, offers, proposals, and counterproposals as both sides applied their measuring standard to the project. This went on for many years, and the people of the village just accepted all of the attendant problems that went along with the idea that everyone had a different standard of measurement. Then, early one summer morning, a stranger walked into the village. Everyone noticed the stranger because he had a bundle strapped to his back that glowed with a beautiful golden light. A crowd soon gather around the stranger as he sat his glowing bundle down by the fountain in the village square. As the stranger began to fill his canteen with water at the fountain, a small girl slipped through the growing crowd of onlookers and toddled up to the stranger’s bundle next to the fountain. The stranger smiled as the little girl got down on her hands and knees to get a better view of the wonderful golden light spilling through the folds of the bundle. A mother’s voice, suddenly, sounded from the back of the crowd. “Ariana... leave that alone... get away from there!” the young mother scolded as she pushed through the crowd to get to her daughter. As the mother reached her daughter and started to snatch her away from the bundle, the stranger held up his hand and said, “It’s all right, she is harming nothing”. He continued to smile, warmly, at the little girl who could not take her eyes off the bundle, even as her mother had started to lift her up. The mother stopped, unsure of what to do. The stranger’s voice was so soothing, and he seemed so kind. It felt almost like she knew him from somewhere... but she could not remember where. The stranger walked over to his bundle, knelt down, and began to unwrap it. The crowd moved in closer for a better look. As the bundle was unwrapped, the golden glow began to grow even brighter. Finally, the stranger unwrapped the most beautiful measuring rod that anyone had ever seen. He calmly stood, holding the glowing rod in his hands, surrounded by the astonished crowd. No one could take their eyes off of the glowing rod. Along with the beautiful golden glow that seemed to pulse, it also emitted a deep, melodious hum that was just on the verge of hearing. The stranger walked up to the little girl now in her mother’s arms. He held the rod up to her. “Would you like to touch it Ariana?” he said. The mother was trying to figure out how the stranger knew her daughters name when the little girl’s hand reached out. Just before her small fingers actually touched the rod, the glowing light seemed to extend out to meet her hand. The little girl felt warmth flow through her hand, up her arm... into her heart. She smiled and laughed at the strange and wonderful feeling that coursed through her small body. The stranger smiled. Those closest to him heard him say, very softly, “The little ones, yes, the little ones... such pure hearts...” The little girl giggled and put her fingers in her mouth as the stranger reached out and gently touched her face. A very large crowd had now gathered around to try and see what all the commotion was about. The stranger looked around him, winked at the little girl, then gently made his way through the crowd to the steps of the village town hall. As he stepped higher, above the crowd, everyone could see the glowing rod, and there were many gasps of wonder at it’s ethereal beauty. The stranger faced the crowd and began to speak. “Friends... I have come on a difficult journey, from far away, to give you something very precious. I know that you have struggled among yourselves, for a long time now, to try and agree on a measuring standard.” He held the beautiful rod out in front of him. “I have brought this for you.” The little girl clapped her hands and laughed in her mother’s arms. One young man, near the stranger, spoke up. “You are giving us your measuring rod?” “Yes... I am.” the stranger replied with a smile. “But it is so beautiful... what is the cost?” the young man continued. “It is quite costly indeed, but I have already paid for it and I want to give it to your village. I have seen the troubles you have had because no one can agree on a standard of measure. I am giving you a true standard that can be used by all” he said as he, once again, held the glowing rod out in front of him. An older man stepped up to face the stranger. “Now wait a moment,” he said. “Are you saying that all of us are to adopt this one standard of measurement?” “Yes.” The old man’s eye’s widened. He held up his own measuring rod to the stranger. “Are you actually trying to say that your standard of measure is better than mine?” asked the old man. “Yes.” The old man was stunned. He blew his cheeks out, shook his head, and began to turn red. “Well... that is the most presumptuous things I have ever heard in my life!” he exploded. “Who are you to tell anyone that your standard of measure is better than theirs? The stranger looked at the agitated old man with calm clear eyes. “I am the one who created the original standard... there is only one” he replied calmly. The old man’s mouth hung open as he struggled for words. His anger increased to a fury. Other’s in the crowd who had heard the strangers reply were also agitated. Shouts started to come from different parts of the crowd. “Who is this stranger?” “Go back where you came from!” “We don’t need your standard!” The stranger seem to ignore all of this as he, once again, focused on the little girl in her mother’s arms. Her smiling face had turned fearful at all of the angry shouting and jostling in the crowd. She was confused and nervous now as she looked at the angry faces around her... and so began to suck on her little fingers in a worried way. The old man shook his finger in the stranger’s face to try and make his point that his standard was as good as the any. When the stranger did not reply... the old man abruptly turned and started to storm away. As he pushed his way through the crowd, he roughly bumped into the young mother causing her to drop the little girl head first. She fell awkwardly with all of her weight on her right arm. Those around her heard the sharp crack as the bones of her small forearm snapped. The little girl screamed as much from the searing pain as the angry faces standing over her. Suddenly, her world had turned into pain and confusion. What happened next was to be told, again and again, through throughout the history of the village... The stranger lifted his hand and said one word... “Enough”. He didn’t seem to shout, but his voice, somehow, seem to carry throughout the village, even through the entire valley. There was a power in his voice that no one had ever experienced before. Everyone was, suddenly, quiet and still. The only sounds to be heard were the cries of the little girl on the ground. The stranger walked toward the little girl as the crowd parted before him, everyone sensing an unimaginable power now flowing from the stranger. He stopped at the little girl’s side and knelt down. “I am so sorry little one,” he said softly. The little girl looked at him as tears flowed down her cheeks. The break in her arm was visible. Her forearm hung at an unnatural angle as she tried to stand. Her clean and neat little yellow dress was now soiled and stained. Her mother had started to grab her up... but the actions of the stranger had stopped her. She stood, motionless, like everyone else in the crowd. The stranger put his arms around the little girl and lifted her up. The little girl, instantly, felt better. Once again, she felt a warm power flow through her body while it seemed to pulse, strongly, in her broken arm. And, then... the pain in her arm was gone. She looked down at her arm and it was smooth and straight, as if it had never been broken. Even though she was in the arms of a stranger, she had never felt so safe and secure. She put her arms around the strangers neck and peeped over his shoulder at the stunned faces in the crowd. A tear flowed down the stranger’s face. He looked down and saw that the beautiful golden rod had been trampled on during the confusion. For a moment he just stood there, holding the little girl. Then he walked back to the top of the steps... still holding Ariana. Looking out over the now somber crowd, he finally spoke again. “I came, today, to give you a gift that all of you need. You need a true standard, outside of your own experience... there cannot be many standards... that only creates jealousy, hatred, envy, and pride. Not one adult, here, can see the value and harmony of one standard because all of your energies have been focused on trying to make others adopt the standard that you have adopted for yourself. But there was one today who opened her heart and her mind to the gift that I intended for you.” He looked at the little girl who, amazingly, had fallen asleep in his arms. “This one had no prejudice in her heart... she saw the beauty in my gift”. He shook his head. “And, you managed to turn her day of wonder and happiness into a day of pain and fear.” Many faces in the crowd now looked down at the ground, no longer able to look at the stranger. He walked slowly through the crowd and stopped in front of the little girl’s mother. Gently he placed Ariana in her mother’s arms. Still sleeping peacefully, she smiled and snuggled into her mother’s shoulder. The stranger paused for a moment and looked at the sleeping girl. Then, leaning down he picked up the golden rod and turned to face the crowd once again. “I wanted, so much, to give you this,” he said as he held up the rod for all to see. “It would have brought you peace and order... there would have been no more arguments over who had the true measure. The truth is... none of you have it. For a standard to be a true standard... there can be only one. But, I can see that you are not yet ready.” He lowered the rod and started to walk toward the village gate... then paused as if sensing something. He turned and looked at a small boy standing at the fringe of the crowd under a little tree. The boy was dressed in a filthy wrap and had no sandals. There was a large bruise on the side of his face. He held a broken wooden horse in his arms as he watched the proceedings. The stranger walked straight to the little boy and leaned down. Villagers who knew the boy expected him to turn and run, but instead he looked at the stranger and smiled. The stranger reached down and touched the boy’s bruise. There was a golden glow, and the bruise was gone. Still looking at the boy he said one word, “Marelle”. A man standing a few feet away began to tremble. He was the father of the little boy the stranger was tending to, and his name had just been called. He didn’t know why, but, suddenly, he was very afraid. The stranger spoke softly again. “Marelle, come here please.” Even though he was trembling and afraid, he could not resist that voice. The stranger had spoken softly, but he felt a power behind it that he could not comprehend. He walked up to the stranger who was still tending to his son. The stranger stood and faced him. He looked at Marelle, glanced down at the boy once more, then focused his gaze on the trembling man. The stranger stepped very close to Marelle and his voice dropped to a whisper as he put his hand on the man’s shoulder... almost in an embrace. No one could hear what was said, but Marelle’s eyes grew very wide as the stranger whispered in his ear. Eventually, tears began to well up in his eyes and flow down his face. The stranger stepped back and looked into Marelle’s eyes for a long moment, then nodded his head as if seeing, in the man’s eyes, what he needed to see. The stranger looked at the boy once more, then turned and walked away. No one ever understood what happened to Marelle that day as he never talked about the incident, but, from that day forward, he was one of the best father’s in the village. No more bruises appeared on the little boy. He was always dressed in clean clothes and was well fed. He grew up to become a wise and respected leader of the village. The stranger picked up his rod once more and wrapped it up. The crowd stood silently, waiting to see what he would do next. He looked around at the crowd, and each person felt as if he were looking at them alone. He then turned and started to walk toward the village gate, and every man, woman and child felt like a piece of them was walking away with the stranger. Sensing something in her sleep, Ariana suddenly awoke and looked around. She saw the stranger walking away. “Bye bye,” she said as she smiled and waved her small hand. The stranger paused a moment and looked back at her. He smiled and waved back. “I’ll be back little one... for your sake,” he said. Then he turned and walked through the narrow gate. A few of the villagers, not even knowing where the stranger was going, dropped their rods, along with the rest of their possessions... and began to follow him. ****************************************************************************** What are our "measuring rods" in life? Do we define our lives and our morality by a "measuring rod" of our own making... or do we look to God to show us the way? "At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure." Luke 10:21 .... I just want to thank God for sending me a little angel in the form of a little 2 year old girl who moved next door to me and into my heart. Through my relationship with her, I was able to more clearly understand and appreciate my relationship with my Lord. We are his children. He loves us and cares for us as a loving parent loves and cares for little children. It, truly, is just that simple. When people are kind enough to compliment me on my photography work, it's very easy for my ego to pop up inside and say, "Yep I did that!". But I try, very hard, to always let them know that... God made me, he made the beautiful creation that I try and photograph, and he gave me the ability to operate a camera... so, I really can take no credit for any of it. My faith and my work are inseparable... I know that, without my faith, there would be no photography work. I have many faults and weaknesses, but I try hard to give God the glory, first and foremost, for any good that comes from my work. Living on a remote island, without even one stop light, for 14 years has taught me some things. I’ve had the time and the opportunity to think things over and to see what works and what does not work in my life. I am no great wise man or philosopher, but if you have time, I would like to relate, just a bit, of what has been “distilled” down for me during my time on this small secluded island. Have you ever thought about Jesus Christ coming down from heaven and dying for you? Not coming down to save humanity in general... but coming down to save you personally? When you think about what Jesus did, try and think in very personal terms. Jesus Christ gave up his glorious place of power and light and perfection. He came down from a place where there was no stain or blemish or hurt... to come down to walk in the mud, to know hunger and thirst, pain and heartache. He traded a paradise of light for cold and filthy stables. He shrank down, down, and down from incomprehensible glory and power to, truly, become one of us. To know our feelings, our fears, and our pain. He was falsely accused, and he died a cruel and painful death... willingly. All this for you... because he loves you so much. With all of your problems, all your weaknesses, all your shame, all your shortcomings... he loves you more than you can know. He knows your name. He knew you before you were born. He watches every moment of your life. He knows you intimately. When you fall and stumble, when you are filled with guilt and shame, when you think you can’t go on... he is there... and his love never fails. Everything else in life comes and goes. Health, youth, fame, earthly relationships and all possesions... eventually fade away... but our Lord's love never wavers. And... there is a factor to or Lord’s amazing sacrifice and gift that completely, totally overwhelms me when I even touch the edge of trying to consider it. We all know what guilt is to some degree. The guilt of telling a lie, the guilt of breaking a promise, the guilt of unfaithfulness to a spouse, the guilt of not spending enough time with our children or our parents... it takes many forms. We have all felt the pain in our hearts and experienced the sleepless nights, and even the injured health that guilt can cause. Now... if you have any distractions as you read this, I want you to tune them out just for a moment. Focus on the point I am about to make... try to let it really sink in... We all know how the guilt of our sins can wreck our sleep, our health, our peace of mind... and rob us of any true joy in life. Now... take the worst experience with guilt and pain in your life. An experience that you barely made it through perhaps, and maybe it haunts you even now. Sleepless nights, heart wracked by pain. No peace, no joy... just day after day, night after night of tears and pain. What if we doubled that guilt, that heartache, that pain? How would we hold up under that? No way you say? I could hardly bear it all as it was, much less doubling it! Very true. Now, what if we tripled that guilt, pain, and heartache. Well, that would kill me for sure you say? I can’t even imagine trying to endure that you say? Now... a step further... an incomprehensible step further... once again, please focus with me here. What if we multiplied that guilt, pain, and heartache... millions of times over... concentrated it all in one monstrous “dose” and filled your heart and mind with it? Now, I think you know where I am going with this. Really let it sink in, what our Lord did on that cross. He shouldered ever ounce of sin, guilt, pain, and heartache that has ever been generated on this earth (or ever will be). Think of bearing not only your guilt and pain, but all the guilt and pain experienced by every human being who will ever live on this planet! Our Lord, willingly, absorbed all that sin, all that guilt, all that pain, all that heartache... from every soul on this earth, as he hung there, in agony, on the cross. Not one of his followers remained... they all had run away. There was not one kind word, one caring hand... no comfort of any kind... not even a drop of water to quince a raging thirst, only the most cruel physical pain that can be imagined coupled with bearing the unimaginable mountains of sin, guilt, and pain from each and every one of us. Even almighty God, the Father had to turn away as his son bore that terrible burden of sin and guilt. At the moment of atonement for our sins, God could not be associated with his own son as Jesus absorbed that horrible mountain of sin. God could not be connected, in any way, with the terrible price that our Lord was paying for our sins. And our Lord hung there all alone, between Heaven and Hell... in physical and spiritual agony... paying a terrible debt, absorbing all of sin, all of our pain, all of our heartache, all of our tears... his amazing love and grace would not quit. He bore it all until there was nothing left to bear. He gave all he had, till there was nothing left to give except his blood... and then he gave even that. His amazing love and grace continued to pour out... even to his last agonized breath. And our debt, at last, was paid... in full, by the only sinless man who has ever lived. The slate was wiped clean... forever. And the story does not, thank God, end on the cross... Jesus conquered death, once and for all. He came back from the grave to give us all the promise that death does not have to conquer us either. All that remains is for us to believe in this amazing gift of love and forgiveness, and the mighty power that even death could not contain. All our Lord ask is that we return his love and try our best to follow what he teaches us. Try to let all this sink in for a moment. It’s too much you say? Yes, it is. It puts our hearts and our minds into “overload” when we even try to skirt the boundaries of it. How is it, that we can get so “busy” in this world, that we lose our focus of, exactly, what our Lord did for us? How is it, that we can feel unloved and unappreciated... after that amazing gift of love and grace was given to us? How is it, that we still feel that we have to “earn” our way to heaven through just enough “good deeds”? How is it that we can become so focused on our jobs, our cars, our 401k’s... that we forget that it will all turn to dust eventually? How is it, that we can forget where we came from? If you have any doubt about where we came from... look into the eyes of new born baby... paradise is still there in those innocent eyes. How is it, that we cannot follow, and trust, and love the one that loves us so much? How is it that we look for our answers everywhere... except with our Lord who has the only answer for our troubled hearts? We have an amazing invitation, from the creator of the universe. From an all-knowing Lord who knew us before we were born. From a loving Lord who loves us beyond all comprehension. Instead of thinking of Jesus floating off in heavenly realms... bring him back down to earth where he came to walk with us, where he came to love us, where he came to save us. Read these words and think about Jesus Christ sitting on a park bench next to you... full of love, mercy, and all knowing wisdom. Think of looking into his eyes that see and know everything. See his gentle smile, feel his wonderful love that knows no bounds. Let his light fill your heart... till there is no longer any room for any fear, worry, or doubt. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Who else is there to learn from? What other path can there be? Life is really not all that complicated when viewed in the light of the word that our Lord gave us. When asked about the most important commandment, he replied... “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: `Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." When we love God, and when we love our neighbors as ourselves... it is then that true peace comes, it is then true purpose comes. All other paths, eventually, fade away to nothing... If you don’t believe what I have said here, that is your choice. All I can say is... if you believe that enough money will make you happy, or your dream relationship, or your perfect job, or alcohol, or drugs... or a bigger house, or a faster car... all I can say is try those paths and find out where they lead. The true path, for peace and happiness, was given to us over 2000 years ago... and it all starts with a God who loves us more than we can comprehend. tmero All photographs appearing on this site are the property of Joe West Photography. They are protected by U.S. copyright laws and are not to be downloaded or reproduced in any way without the written permission of Joe West Photography.