Amos 5:6-7, 10-15
Seek the Lord and live,
or he will break out against the house of Joseph like fire,
and it will devour Bethel, with no one to quench it.
Ah, you that turn justice to wormwood,
and bring righteousness to the ground!
They hate the one who reproves in the gate,
and they abhor the one who speaks the truth.
Therefore, because you trample on the poor
and take from them levies of grain,
you have built houses of hewn stone,
but you shall not live in them;
you have planted pleasant vineyards,
but you shall not drink their wine.
For I know how many are your transgressions,
and how great are your sins—
you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe,
and push aside the needy in the gate.
Therefore the prudent will keep silent in such a time;
for it is an evil time.
Seek good and not evil,
that you may live;
and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you,
just as you have said.
Hate evil and love good,
and establish justice in the gate;
it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts,
will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.
Reflection
"I knew it!" An awful realization had come to pass. An act that could easily be predicted. A person not willing to take responsibility for their own hurtful actions. A person that willingly takes advantage of other's.
When you speak truth and draw out the actions of someone taking advantage of another person, you may become the accused. People refuse to take responsibility for the wrong deeds taken against another person that is helpless to defend themselves. It's a social wrong that is committed when advantage is taken over another due to age or inability to care for oneself. When an able bodied person takes advantage of a weaker person an act of injustice is done.
Responsibility for one's actions are a must. But what if a person refuses to take that responsibility and continues to take advantage of another's finances or age? This is sin. A return to God needs to take place. But the transgressor may choose to let the call to repentance go unheeded. A judgment will take place. A judgment will occur to the one that refuses to repent and take responsibility for the sin they have committed.
For the one's hurt by the sin, there is hope. The result of sin never seems to take place against one person only. There will be a blessing for the assaulted people. Finally in the face of blatant refusal, the person or person's hurt by the offender can rest assured that God will judge the offender.
People do things that hurt others. People do things and don't take responsibility for their actions. But thanks be to God for those that recognize their actions, take responsibility and turn to God and those hurt with humble hearts and willing action to seek forgiveness.
In the meantime... we live with one another... we do what we need to do... we stand for truth and act out in love that God has shown us through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Prayer
Lord, as I live my life, help me as I take responsibility for my actions and turn to you and to my neighbor in repentance. Lead me to stand for truth and take action to defend those that can't defend themselves against those that may take advantage of another and not accept responsibility for their actions. Make me bold to stand with you when needed. For you I seek the love of Christ in all that I do. Even when it's difficult. --- Amen
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