Amos 8:4-7 (NRSV)
Read Amos 8:4-7 on biblegateway.com
Verse 4Hear this, you that trample on the needy, and bring to ruin the poor of the land, Verse 5saying, "When will the new moon be over so that we may sell grain; and the sabbath, so that we may offer wheat for sale? We will make the ephah small and the shekel great, and practice deceit with false balances, Verse 6buying the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, and selling the sweepings of the wheat." Verse 7The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob: Surely I will never forget any of their deeds.
Devotion
Okay, so Amos is not my favorite prophet either. What right does this West Texas sheepherder-turned-preacher have to come into our sacred territory? It’s hard enough to manage a congregation and all of its nuances without having some self-proclaimed prophet getting things all stirred up. What does Amos know about walking that fragile line between motivating people and getting them so ticked off that they leave? We’ve got political systems in place. If he wants to make a change, tell him to get out and vote!
But, we do vote, and we preach, and we inspire, and we implore, and still, we trample upon the needy with our endless health care systems and policies designed for the privileged. Maybe it takes a West Texas sheepherder to see when someone is getting a raw deal, and then to be bold enough to do something about it. God knows that the rest of us might just lose our jobs if we did...
Prayer
Lord, you send brave souls among us to show us ourselves. When the time comes, let us not be afraid to speak for those whose voices go unheard. Amen.