Listening to the Suffering of Others

4Hear this, you who trample the needy

and do away with the poor of the land,

5saying,

“When will the New Moon be over

that we may sell grain,

and the Sabbath be ended

that we may market wheat?”—

skimping on the measure,

boosting the price

and cheating with dishonest scales,

6buying the poor with silver

and the needy for a pair of sandals,

selling even the sweepings with the wheat. (Amos 8)

Thoughts: God cares for the poor.  In these verses as in many others, God shows concern for the poor and berates those who show no concern.  The prophet Amos is especially incensed that the rich of the land are more concerned about their drunken pleasure than the needs of others.  It is amazing how people who do not really rub elbows with the poor, can put them out of their mind.  Human selfishness takes over and we close our ears to those who are hurting.  Often the biblical quartet of need are the orphan, the widow, the refugee, and the poor (Dt. 10:18; 24:17; 27:19; Jer. 7:6; Zech. 7:10).  Part of caring for the poor is going down to their level and listening to them. If the rich only have contact with the poor when the poor come to the level of the rich then the poor are still invisible.  When the poor are invisible we simply seek to make profit off of them, in effect buying them for fashion- a pair of sandals.  Being honest and listening to the needy is a part of being a faithful Christian.  Christ came to help those who were needy- identifying with them in a manger, on the cross. 

Prayer; Lord, give me listening ears for the poor.