Who are God's beloved children?

The poor, the sorrowing and the meek are God's beloved children.

That's what the Beatitudes, those iconic "blessed" statements from the gospel of Matthew, are trying to teach us:  in God's eyes, these (the ones who many think are of no worth) are the beloved ones.

My question is:  How are you personally and the community of faith to which you belong making that belovedness evident in the world?

Or, put another way, how would the world come to know that these are God's beloved children?  Are our actions and words consistent?  Are we living out what we claim to believe?

What do we need to do together to assure that both the world and the poor know that God's love is for them?

Using the poor for our own ends

Wow!  I never thought I'd write that sentence, but I heard the critique and believe there is truth in it.  I believe we (as people of faith) are guilty of using the poor as a symbol of our largesse....and therefore a balm for our conscience.   Our commitment to their welfare is a tiny portion of the energy we put into living each day: some cans for the food pantry; cast off clothes for the needy and a good feeling for us.

How deep does my love for these neighbors go? 

I believe some confession is in order.

"Seek good and not evil, that you may live"

This is Amos' advice to the people of the Northern Kingdom (sometimes referred to in the prophets as the house of Joseph, sometimes referred to as Israel).

This is what it has come down to:  seek good and not evil, so you may live.  Because there will be nothing else left after God's judgment prevails.  Amos 5.6-7, 10-15

Amos is one of only two prophets whose primary focus is economic justice.  He speaks of the economic oppression of the poor by their own people.  He speaks of the lack of justice at the city gate, both for those with disputes but also for the needy who sought help.   (Note:  a judge or wise elder would sit at the city gate and any party who had a dispute would take their case to the judge and he would make a ruling.  Amos claims the judges were bribed to rule in favor of the wealthy.)

In other words, the system was rigged.  That is what 'justice' is about in the Bible; establishing an even playing field for all where political or economic power is a tool to be used for the betterment of those in need and to advance the common good.  Not every one ends up 'rich' in a just system; but everyone has equal access and is the concern of every other citizen.

You may have noticed that we are in the heat of the political system.  We have heard claims, counter claims, truths, half truths and outright lies.  The thoughtful among us know that no matter what the candidate says, s/he must contend with the system once in office, and the unforeseen events that shift our choices.

And yet we must decide.  We need to listen closely.  Who will benefit from the position this politician is taking?  Who will lose out?  Am I concerned only with what will happen to me or have I considered the common good?  Are they telling some version of the truth about what is possible to achieve? 

This applies to both domestic and foreign policy.  Most of this is way beyond my pay grade; I don't really understand the intricacies of economic policy nor the complex situations that exist in Libya or the Middle East.  I work to think through, to listen closely to whether what is proposed will, in any way, increase the common good.  Is it just?  To all?

This text from Amos comes at a good time for us.  To quote Jesus, "Let those who have ears, listen."

"Therefore, because you trample on the poor...."

Should you be listening to a prophet, beware of the word "therefore."  It always announces judgment - God's judgment, a judgment that will cut away all that keeps us from following God and living in God's light.  A judgment that is experienced in pain and/or sorrow.

Amos has been sent by God to the power center of the Northern Kingdom of Israel and he has nothing to say that anyone wants to hear. 

A little history here:  the Northern Kingdom functioned separately from the Southern Kingdom and had grown very prosperous in the last decade.  The leadership of the Northern Kingdom, King Jeroboam, was convinced that the peace in the land and the prosperity of the people (some of the people) indicated God's blessing.  They were secure in their position as God's anointed ones.

Amos is there to burst their bubble.  Their prosperity was built on the backs of their own people and the aliens and strangers in their midst.  He points out that the people cannot wait for the Sabbath to be over so they can cheat their neighbors in the marketplace.  He calls the "Housewives of Bashon" cows.  He rejects their sacrifices and rituals because they are nothing but lip service while the wealthy continue to levy taxes upon the poor who cannot pay.

This is what leads to Amos saying, "therefore, because you trample on the poor..." and the judgment is this: you have built fine, fancy houses but you will not live in them.  You have secured land and planted vineyards, but you will never taste their wine.  In other words, this all will be taken away from you.

And so it was.  The Assyrians, who had been busy with other wars, marched through the Northern Kingdom, took possession of the land, and forced EVERYBODY into exile (722-723 BC)  After this invasion, the Northern Kingdom was wiped from the face of the earth.

Amos never said I told you so.  But he could have.

Look for part II on this text.     Amos5.6-7,10-15