Amos 7:7-9

“And the Lord said to me, ‘Amos, what do you see?’ And I said, ‘A plumb line.’ Then the Lord said, ‘See, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel; I will never again pass them by…’ vs. 8

Amos had been a shepherd in Judah, and was called to become a prophet in Israel. This was a time of great prosperity in Israel and many had become wealthy. Amos was appalled at what he saw and proclaimed to his audience that he had seen the Lord standing by a wall with a plumb line in his hand, a builder’s device to measure whether or not a wall is straight. In the vision the Lord told him he was going to use a plumb line in the midst of Israel–Jeroboam will no longer be able to be a crooked king. Unless he and his people straighten up, Israel will be destroyed. Amos’ vision is a reminder to us that we are expected to walk in up-right ways, and that there are standards for our lives. And this is where we tend to get in a massive kerfuffle. There are just so many differing viewpoints about how we shall behave, and we’re not the least bit shy about calling each other out! What’s really sad is that for some God’s plumb line has become political, and living a life of integrity has been abandoned! There is still no better guide for living well than loving God and loving neighbor. Those are standards for a lifetime.

Thought for the Day: What standards do I live by?