Minute Meditations: Amos 7

Amos never intended to be a prophet. In fact, it was probably the last thing he ever thought he would do. He was, after all, a shepherd and a dresser of sycamore trees in the southern kingdom of Judah. His life was simple and probably relatively peaceful. But then God called him.

And Amos responded with a “yes” to God’s call, as difficult as that probably was for him. He went to the northern kingdom of Israel to preach against the people’s sins and to warn them that if they continued to break their covenant with God, horrible things would happen to them.

Amos had no prophetic training, and he was not a member of the guild of prophets. What’s more, he delivered an unpopular message. The people didn’t want to hear about things like sins and covenant curses. They didn’t want Amos to interrupt their routines or poke their consciences. Through their priest Amaziah, therefore, they told Amos to go away.

But Amos doesn’t go away. He continued the mission that God had given him. He may not particularly have liked it. He probably often wished that he could go home to his sheep and his trees. But he found courage in God and in His will, and he kept right on speaking the truth even though people hated him for it.