Then answered Amos and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son, but I was an herdsman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit. Amos 7:14
An old friend was telling me about a situation he was involved in when gangsters moved into his neighbourhood and took control of everything in the community for a day. In those days before cell phones, the criminals cut the telephone lines to make sure that nobody was able to send a message for help. All of the people were gathered in a large garage so the criminals could watch them the more easily. Everyone was terrified, especially after several people were beaten by the criminals. As they huddled together for support and comfort, the people turned to my friend and asked him to lead them in prayer. He did so, also opening his Bible and reading a Psalm that he hoped would be a help. His spiritual leadership helped them to get through a terrible time without resorting to panic until the police arrived and rounded up the criminals. My friend was never a preacher, but his neighbours appreciated his apparent godly character and were confident in turning to him in time of need. Amos was a man like that. And so should we all be.
Amaziah was upset at Amos for his criticizm of the sins of Israel, and for his declaration that God would punish Jeroboam and his kingdom, and the priest had told Amos to take his prophesying elsewhere. But Amos reminded Amaziah that it was God’s idea, not his, that had brought him into the role of a prophet. Amos was not someone that you or I would have selected for this role. Fewer vocations in Israel were lower than that of herdsmen. And fewer tasks were more menial than gathering the fruit of the sycamore tree, pathetic, bitter figs that required hard work to make fit to eat, and were eaten only by the very poorest of the people. But God had called him from those humble occupations, and God never makes a mistake in who He calls. Amos was faithful in delivering the messages that God had for him to deliver. Amos was also honest and diligent. These traits were necessary, because he had a hard message, one that would not be easily accepted in Israel. The prosperity of Jeroboam’s reign had the people serving themselves instead of God, drifting away from relying on God to relying on themselves. They had become disobedient and arrogant, and somebody had to tell them where their behaviour was taking them. Just as somebody has to deliver a tough message today.
Who are we that we should be the ones to witness for God in a day when sinners desperately need to hear the Gospel? We are only sinners saved by grace. We have nothing in ourselves to commend us, but God has given to us the role of ambassadors of Heaven and servants of the cross. And if He has called us to do so, we must, like Amos, be obedient and faithful. He trusts us to do so. -Jim MacIntosh