Amos 7

I really like this analogy God shows Amos. First, God thinks the just thing to do is to wipe out the wicked people with locusts. "No!" begs Amos. "Oh, alright," says our merciful God. Then a consuming fire seems like just the thing to destroy the sin. "No!" begs Amos. "Well, I won't do that either," God says. But then God has another plan. "Look at this, Amos. If you don't think it's fair for people to be punished for their sin, then I offer them a standard. I'm sending you a plumb line to measure yourself against."

I'm so quick to pat myself on the back for being "better than." Either better than I used to be or better than person X over there. But there is only one standard for living that is acceptable to God. Jesus Christ lived a life without sin. In Isaiah, God says Justice and Righteousness alone are to be our plumb line. If we are crooked compared to Christ, then we aren't good enough and really deserve the locusts and fire that would be fair.

But the lovely part about our merciful Savior is that He's not only the plumb line, He's also the Builder and the Cornerstone. When we make Him our firm foundation and allow no stone to be placed by anyone but Him, then we will be plumb. That's what I like about this passage. A glimpse at both God's unswerving justice but also His ability to make us right. To keep us plumb.