From today’s reading...
To Amos, Amaziah said:
‘Off with you, visionary, flee to the land of Judah!
There earn your bread by prophesying,
but never again prophesy in Bethel;
for it is the king’s sanctuary and a royal temple.’” Amos 7:12-13
Amaziah didn’t like what Amos had to say so he did what any high-ranking official with a cushy job and lots of perks does: he banished him.
Did that help alleviate the bad things Amos had prophesied? On the contrary, it made things worse for Amaziah, his family, and his people.
When you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas and silencing people who say things that don’t give you a warm and fuzzy feeling is the act of a simpleton whose future holds more pain than they’re avoiding today by avoiding the hard conversations.
Get with the program. Engage in meaningful dialogue with people who see the world differently than you do. Just...
Stay the course.
Keep the faith.
Endure.
Now go sell something.
