Some of my childhood experiences helped me become a people-pleaser. This drive of mine has taught me valuable lessons about pleasing people.
I have learned the hard way that it’s impossible to say ‘yes’ to everyone at the same time.
It didn’t take long to realize that people’s memories are short-lived. In about two weeks, most individuals, preoccupied with their own lives, tend to forget acts of kindness or support.
The adage “What have you done for me lately?” rings true for all people in public life. Popularity and appreciation can be fleeting.
This reality check has taught me that my self-worth isn’t solely dependent on others’ approval and the transient nature of popularity.
We could never accuse God of being a people pleaser. However, He received similar responses from His people. Amos highlighted some of these when he brought Israel into the courtroom of God’s judgment.
— He defeated their enemies and gave them the Promised Land (Amos 2.9).
— God set them free from 400 years of slavery in Egypt (Amos 2.10)
— God gave them prophets to speak on His behalf and some were privileged with a special relationship with Him (Amos 1.11)
Like the short-lived adoration of sports figures and popular personalities today, the Israelites forgot God’s blessings.
They didn’t want to hear God’s message through the prophets and they tried to corrupt people who were devoted to the Lord.
But you made the Nazirites drink wine
and commanded the prophets,
saying, “You shall not prophesy.” (Amos 2.12)
Have you ever wondered why humans tend to forget God’s blessings and resist His word when it’s spoken through His prophets?
Here are some thoughts, although not exhaustive, on why modern culture might overshadow hearing God. The attraction of material possessions, the pursuit of status, and the instant pleasure present in today’s society can easily distract from God’s message.
Jesus’ Parable of the Sower (Luke 8.14) illustrates how life’s worries, riches, and pleasures can choke out God’s word. His parable holds true in our current times.
Materialism and pleasure-seeking were true of Amos’ audience and are covered fully in his complaints to the people.
Like Amos’ day, resisting prophets and corrupting the Nazarites often stems from pride. Pride resists change and is unwilling to acknowledge that our current lifestyle contradicts God’s teachings.
Amos’ audience forgot God’s blessings due to their lack of a personal relationship with Him. They enjoyed religious activities, but they failed to seek and know Him personally.
We do well to ask ourselves how we are similar to Amos’ crowd in his day.
God Against His People
The Israelites believed that God would always support them. However, their neglect of a relationship with Him and their oppression of the poor led God to view them as enemies rather than friends.
— Rather than lifting them up, He planned to press them down (Amos 2.13).
— God planned their defeat in war (Amos 2.14-16).
Cheap Grace
Dietrich Bonhoeffer coined the term “cheap grace” to describe a religion practiced without evidence of changed behavior.
While we thankfully live under God’s grace, we must recognize the Spirit’s power to convict us of our errors in behavior towards God. Reading the prophets will add fuel to our conviction of guilt.
Praise God for His grace, but we must not take God’s grace for granted and adopt the attitude of the man who says, “God and I have a deal. He likes to forgive, and I like to sin.”
Let’s do all we can to remember and respond to God’s goodness and blessings.
YouTube Video
Rudy Ross and I discuss this passage on YouTube today. It is on the Bob Spradling channel.
Real Voices 