Amos 6:1, 4–7 (NRSV)
Read Amos 6:1, 4–7 on biblegateway.com
Chapter 6Alas for those who are at ease in Zion, and for those who feel secure on Mount Samaria, the notables of the first of the nations, to whom the house of Israel resorts! Verse 4Alas for those who lie on beds of ivory, and lounge on their couches, and eat lambs from the flock, and calves from the stall; Verse 5who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp, and like David improvise on instruments of music; Verse 6who drink wine from bowls, and anoint themselves with the finest oils, but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph! Verse 7Therefore they shall now be the first to go into exile, and the revelry of the loungers shall pass away.
Devotion
As I write this, I am also preparing to facilitate in Luther Seminary's Dismantling Racism course and co-present in my congregation's forums about accompaniment. These endeavors have enormous overlap, which includes difficult self-reflection. I acknowledge that white privilege, from which I benefit, is simultaneously oppressive to my neighbors of color. This acknowledgement could immobilize me with guilt over my unintentional role in perpetuating institutionalized racism. Alternatively, I can choose to accompany my neighbors to develop a more just community.
Today's text describes an unjust, self-indulgent social class who ignored their neighbors' suffering and the nation's ruin. Like them, when we focus on accumulating privilege and wealth for personal indulgence, we exile ourselves from our neighbors and God. Our self-imposed exile and lost potential relationships impoverish our communities and us. Conversely, when we rely on God and accompany our neighbors in equitable relationships, we flourish in shalom’s wholeness. I choose shalom.
Prayer
Dear God of Shalom, we praise you for your steadfast love, even when we exile ourselves from you. Forgive us for often focusing on pleasure and wealth rather than faithfully relying on you. Guide us to relate with our sisters and brothers in love and justice. Amen.