There is a good chance you are reading this on your smartphone, waiting in line at a cash register as you participate in the great frenzy that is called Black Friday. It might be a good moment, then, to reflect on the importance of measurement and moderation.

I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand!  Zechariah 2:1

What is the meaning of this curious verse in Zechariah – the vision of a man with a measuring line in his hand? The scene was recorded 500 years before the birth of Christ. The prophet was forecasting the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem…a task that would require careful planning, prayer, measurement, collaboration and strategic deployment of resources. That’s a sharp contrast to the characteristics of Black Friday shopping, which is marked by heavy doses of impulse, chaos and hyperextension of credit lines.

As you enjoy the kickoff to the Christmas season and all of the wonderful things surrounding it, be sure to thank God for the freedoms He has given to you in this nation. And may you, and America’s leaders, use each resource in a strategic, measured, Godly way…for His glory.

Recommended Reading: Romans 12:3-13