I imagined a summer side-trip into one of the prophets. A book that gets the occasional tip-of-the-hat in the ordinary lectionary cycle. Amos.

I thought it would be an interesting diversion. A book, not about Jesus – but one that shows the raw edges of the ideas that Jesus would later make very popular. A book about justice and seeking good while staying away from evil. A simple little book.

I should have known better.

The terrible and wonderful thing about Scripture is that if we look closely, we’ll see ourselves in these ancient texts. We discover the ancient roots of modern problems. We find modern behaviours wearing ancient garments. And in the middle of it all, an obscure and reluctant prophet who – like so many – doesn’t want the job that he has been given.

Prophecy is not prediction – please remember that. The prophetic voices in Scripture remind people that God will defy their expectations – especially when those expectations are that God will do their bidding.

Amos (and all the others) stand in the midst of a system of belief that is being twisted and mis-managed, and he – daring to speak for God – invites people to consider the consequences. Amos opens with harsh words for Israel’s neighbours (the sort of thing that gets your hopes up, since those ‘other’ nations MUST have done SOMETHING WRONG…) but the prophet saves his harshest judgements for ‘God’s chosen.’

The neighbouring nations will be punished – but their punishments are perfunctory. Israel has become a burden to God – the prophet describes a creaking, groaning, overloaded cart as a metaphor for God’s frustration – and the prophet suggests that the consequences will be dire.

Why?

Well, there is a distinct lack of humility present in these people whom God loves.

The nation has become immersed in their arrogance – being God’s chosen and all. They treat people as pawns – they “sell the righteous for silver – and the needy for a pair of sandals…’ They “pant after the dust of the earth which is on the head of the poor (a strange image that to me suggests that they would stop at nothing to get what they want – even something as inconsequential as the dust on the heads of the humble poor) and push the afflicted out of the way…”

It gets worse, but I’ll stop there. Because it all feels too current.

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I’d rather summer worship was all sweetness and light. Stories of sunshine and splash parks. But world events won’t be ignored, and Amos seems to be reading our news feeds; standing in our midst. Conflict and chaos in the middle east. Deception and disaster in the United States. Discontent everywhere you look. People choosing sides. And too often, religious people choosing sides that make you question their devotion…especially when they claim affiliation with Jesus.

Amos doesn’t mention Jesus – why would he. But Jesus knows what Amos was talking about. Jesus is pointing to Amos and asking the same kind of questions as that ancient prophet asked. What about the poor? What about justice? How do you define good…or evil? Jesus tells stories that suggest there may be disaster waiting for those who don’t choose wisely. Amos is blunt. Exile. Destruction. Those who mis-represent righteousness, or who claim divine protection for their authoritarian plans and projects are doomed.

When I dared to peek at the news over the last couple of weeks, what I saw / heard / read was the kind of thing that Amos rails against. The poor – the lost – the refugee – the migrant…in short, anyone outside the local definition of “us” is currently in deep trouble in too many places in the world.

And on this continent – in a nation that used to pride itself of freedom, liberty and justice for all, the entitlement of the powerful has made a mockery of all that Jesus (and the Constitution of the United States of America) stand for.

Somehow, powerful people have changed Jesus’ focus from the poor and oppressed to the rich and entitled. Good and evil are given new definitions. The list of transgressions, lifted right out of Amos, grows longer and more troubling.

We in Canada are not immune. We should be paying attention, even though it is difficult, and no one seems to know what to do.

But Amos knew. Jesus knows. And in truth, so do we.

First, acknowledge that humans chasing power almost universally make horrible decisions…and they don’t make good ‘leaders.’

Ambition is a good thing (in small doses) but there is a fine line between ambition and greed – between confidence and arrogance – between convictions and coercion…between faith and foolishness.

Second. Call out the bad behaviour. Be prophetic! Remember, prophecy is not prediction, it is the voice of humility and reason speaking into the chaos of arrogance and entitlement.

Correct the coffee-shop bigot. Be an ally to the oppressed. If wearing a rainbow flag pin is as loud as you think you can get – wear one. Let people know that you stand for compassion and against intolerance. Not every prophet get’s run out of town by the king (though that does look good on a prophet’s resume) And it takes surprisingly few quiet, steady, prophetic allies to turn the tide.

And finally, understand that choosing to identify as ‘God’s chosen’. – declaring devotion to the Risen Christ – daring to call yourself a follower of Jesus – means being held to a higher standard. The path of the faithful is not ‘easy street.’ We don’t get a free pass on our behaviour – we aren’t instantly the good guys.

What happens when we claim divine motivation and declare holy space is that we bear the responsibility to hold holy space for others – to let others experience divine grace. The Holy is not our particular property…ever.

Amos (and Jesus) held their harshest criticism for those who treated religious belief like a secret society – a closed club. But our task as faithful people is to ensure that there is room for everyone to find safety and rest – to find the holy happiness that comes from knowing we. Are not specially selected guardians of truth and righteousness, but partners in compassion and cooperation.

The dangerous habit of so-called faithful people (from any religious tradition) to claim power in the name of their beliefs is going to be the death of us – it has already been the death of too many.

Amos’ prophecies came true – of course they did. A nation built on arrogance and driven by ego is always sowing the seeds of its own destruction. But after Amos came Jesus – who didn’t just warn us off the wrong path – Jesus showed us a better.