Devotion based on Week 3 of “The Prophets” – Amos (WATCH HERE)
What are your values?
What is the underlying code that drives what you do, how you set your priorities and how you interact with others?
You might call these inner compass realities as your values.
When you operate in the context of your values, you generally are at peace.
When you are forced or willingly step outside those values, it creates discomfort and possibly anxiety.
For example, if one of your values is “prioritize family” and your employer asks you to work a lot of overtime and it prevents you from being with family, you will feel stressed and uneasy.
The problem is when you are comfortable with your values, but your values are wrong.
This is what was happening in Israel when God sent the prophet Amos. When the Lord’s plumb line measured the values of the hearts of Israel, they did not align.
Israel valued personal gain over caring for people. Israel’s leaders valued what they could get from people over what they could do for people. When boiled down to its essence, people carried values that benefited themselves above being a blessing to others. Here’s what the Lord said:
Amos 2:6 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Israel, even for four, I will not turn back my wrath.
They sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals.
7 They trample on the heads of the poor as upon the dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed.
Amos 5:7 You who turn justice into bitterness and cast righteousness to the ground
11 You trample on the poor and force him to give you grain.
Therefore, though you have built stone mansions, you will not live in them;
though you have planted lush vineyards, you will not drink their wine.
12 For I know how many are your offenses and how great your sins.
You oppress the righteous and take bribes and you deprive the poor of justice in the courts.
The LORD calls them from their materialistic values to value justice and mercy. The poor and needy weren’t there to be taken advantage of, but rather to be given the same consideration and measure of justice that the more well off had.
What about our values?
Maybe your challenge isn’t the same as Israel in that you value personal gain over the justice of others, but are their values that don’t measure to the plumbline of the Lord.
Values can often be seen by what we prioritize our time and finances on.
Take time this week to evaluate the way you spend your time and resources. What do they say about your values? Do the words of Amos call you to repentance?
Remember the plumbline of the Lord is for our blessing. It shows where we are off to call us back to the LORD. The Lord values mercy and grace. He loves to forgive and transform our lives and hearts.
He loves to direct our hearts to value time in the Word and worship. He loves us to prioritize values that promote righteousness, godliness, justice, peace and love of others.
These are values that are worth pursuing!
Apply: Take time to evaluate and delineate what your values are. Measure them to the LORD. What is aligned? What needs to be adjusted?
Prayer: Lord, thank you for your love which calls out my misaligned values and returns them back to you. Transform my heart and my actions to always value and live what honors you! AMEN.