Amos 8:4-7
How you hear this text depends on which side of the bed you rise as some who lie
on beds of ease truly care about those who never will. But Amos has harsh words
for those who consider their place of privilege a right and sing idle songs without
considering the songs of lament sung by others. So what you have is not as
important as what you do with it or as Jesus will say, to those whom much is given
much is required. That is not to say there is something God pleasing about being
poor or that pleasing God makes one rich. God exists beyond the economic, racial,
and gender lines we draw. “In Christ there is neither Jew nor Gentile, slave nor free,
male nor female.” (Galatians 3:28) Rather God cares about everyone in the human
family and will do whatever it takes for us to do the same.
Father Ed Bakker.
