Friends in Christ Weekly Message
September 21, 2013

     The LORD said: You people crush those in need and wipe out the poor. You say to yourselves, “How much longer before the end of the New Moon Festival? When will the Sabbath be over? Our wheat is ready, and we want to sell it now. We can't wait to cheat and charge high prices for the grain we sell. We will use dishonest scales and mix dust in the grain. Those who are needy and poor don't have any money. We will make them our slaves for the price of a pair of sandals.”

     I, the LORD, won't forget any of this, though you take great pride in your ancestor Jacob.
Amos 8:4-7 (CEV*)

God is more interested in how you treat people than in your heritage. God deplores greed and exploitation. God is concerned about the plight of the poor.

If you are at the bottom of the social ladder, this is good news. God is on your side. Scripture is full of concern for the poor and oppressed, and appeals to share and show love.

For those of us who are affluent, it isn't enough just not to directly cheat people and abuse the poor. We need to look at our lifestyles and the circumstances under which those who produce the goods we buy live. Are we involved in systems which result in exploitation of the poor? What are we doing to be more conscientious about what we purchase, and to replace unjust systems with those which work for the good of all not just the privileged?

Bill Samuel

* Contemporary English Version ©1995 American Bible Society.

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