Message: Are We in Line? / Amos 7:7-17

Through today’s first Scripture reading, we hear from the prophet Amos, whose words challenge us. In his vision, Amos saw God standing beside a wall with a plumb line in hand. A plumb line is a tool builders use to determine whether a wall is straight and upright. In ancient times, it was also used to assess whether a wall could still be repaired. If the tilt was not too severe, it could be restored. But if it leaned too far, it was better to tear it down and build a new one. In this sense, the plumb line in today’s text is a symbol of measurement to see whether the people of Israel can still be renewed.

Amos was from Judah, the southern kingdom, but he served as a prophet in the northern kingdom of Israel. He was not a professional religious leader. He was a farmer and a shepherd. At the time, most priests were like puppets of political power, saying only what people wanted to hear. Their eyes and ears were closed to the truth. The spiritual and moral collapse of the nation left little room for hope. Yet God still wanted to give the people another chance, so God sent Amos to wake them up.

In Amos’ times, the northern kingdom of Israel seemed prosperous. Under King Jeroboam, there was peace and wealth. But beneath that surface of success lay the suffocating shadow of injustice. The powerful exploited the weak, and worship had become disconnected from compassion and justice. Amaziah, the priest at Bethel, which was the religious centre of the northern kingdom, was part of that broken system. Rather than speaking the truth, he said only what pleased those in power.

Their worship was no longer a time of honest reflection. It had turned into a party of indulgence. Amos described it this way:

“Alas for those who lie on beds of ivory, and lounge on their couches, and eat lambs from the flock, and calves from the stall; who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp, and like David improvise on instruments of music; who drink wine from bowls, and anoint themselves with the finest oils, but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph! Therefore they shall now be the first to go into exile, and the revelry of the loungers shall pass away.” (Amos 6:4–7)

Amaziah treated Amos as just another priest, corrupt and self-interested, a spiritual businessman like himself. He told Amos to stop making people uncomfortable, to go back home, and earn a living as a religious leader. This was a clear sign that the northern kingdom had lost its chance for healing. Their arrogance had become so heavy that it blocked the way to renewal and reconciliation. In the face of God's plumb line, they were like a wall too far gone to be repaired. A kingdom without integrity and justice eventually collapsed under the weight of a foreign empire.

Today, the same plumb line stands before us, inviting us to ask ourselves: Are we in line?

Many people today try to avoid facing their true selves. They do not want to acknowledge their vulnerability. Instead, they chase after what makes them feel good and try to ignore difficult or uncomfortable truths. When I was studying for my Master of Divinity at St. Andrew’s College in Saskatoon, Professor HyeRan Kim-Cragg, now the Principal at Emmanuel College in Toronto, shared an interesting observation about Canada. She said she was surprised that some Canadians feel ashamed to show grief at funerals. They focus only on happy memories and avoid sadness. They do not want to show their vulnerability and instead try to disguise their true emotions.

But when we lose the chance to grieve together, we lose the chance to begin again with a focus on the present. When we do not allow ourselves to grieve fully, sadness turns into shadows within us and keeps us from experiencing true joy. Honest grief helps us live more deeply in the present. It also enables us to care for others with genuine compassion, as we weep with those who weep.

In 2015, Disney released the animated movie Inside Out. It showed how people today struggle with their emotions, especially sadness. In the story, sadness is often seen as something bad, something to be hidden away. But denying sadness does not make a person whole. Suppressed emotions can lead to isolation and even violence. Thankfully, the film shows that when sadness is accepted as part of who we are, we begin to embrace ourselves more fully. Only then can we find the strength to love ourselves and care for others.

In peaceful times, many people become arrogant, believing they deserve everything they have. Gratitude fades, and respect disappears. They grow intolerant of anything that makes them uncomfortable or challenges them. They hide, avoid, or suppress whatever they find shameful or difficult. This attitude applies not only to personal emotions but also to how society treats the poor and vulnerable. They hide them, exclude them, and pretend they are not there.

We see this avoidance even within our denomination. Often, we try to skip over practices that help us reflect on our mistakes or confront our vulnerability. Many congregations ignore the discomfort of seasons like Lent, focusing only on the joy of Easter. Some people no longer want to look at Jesus on the cross during Good Friday services. For many, church has become little more than singing carols with candles on Christmas Eve. Some congregations have even removed the Prayer of Confession and Words of Assurance from Sunday worship, saying they make people uncomfortable. Congregants want ministers who act like obedient puppies, while ministers care more about salary, benefits, and vacation than the gospel of Christ.

Amaziah did not want to hear the truth that Amos proclaimed. He preferred comfort and safety, seeing Amos as a troublemaker. But the truth cannot be silenced. Amos spoke out not for personal gain, but because he recognized that peace built on hypocrisy, arrogance, and injustice could never last.

A religion that does not proclaim the Way, the Truth, and the Life is a dead religion. If a church drifts so far from God’s plumb line, it becomes nothing more than a spiritual business. Such a church may be better off disappearing altogether.

Amos was an ordinary person, so the plumb line he saw is something anyone can see. The plumb line is not a mysterious vision reserved for a few. All of us can see God’s standard because it is rooted in the most vulnerable parts of ourselves. It is about how we face the emotions that make us uncomfortable with courage. It is about how we care for the weakest members of our families, not ignoring them but surrounding them with greater love. It is about how we stop hiding the most vulnerable people in our society and instead share with them the blessings we enjoy with gratitude.

The plumb line reminds us that true change begins with honesty. We need to keep looking into ourselves and remain open to listening and learning. When we face our vulnerabilities, correct our wrongdoings, and act with compassion and justice, our relationships with God, our neighbours, and all creatures will be restored and will grow deeper and stronger. From within us, our families, local communities, nation and the world can find true peace grounded in love.

Today, the plumb line stands before us and helps us see our true selves. Sometimes, we try to live in disguise. Sometimes, we seek only pleasures that deepen injustice and corruption. Sometimes, we are arrogant instead of grateful. But today’s Scripture reading offers us another opportunity. It is an invitation to realign our hearts and actions with truth, compassion, and justice. 

Now, the choice is ours.

Rev. Min Hwang

South Stormont Pastoral Charge