I want to introduce to you Amos.

No, i’m not talking about the cooke, Famous Amos. I’m talking about the prophet, Amos.

Some of you may have heard of him. Some of you may have read a piece or two from the book of Amos. And some of you may not even know who I am talking about. Well, you are in luck.

For the next several weeks, our missional communities will be studying the Book of Amos together. We will be exploring the journey of Amos and the themes presented throughout the books. One of the most prominent themes that is emphasized is that of justice.

What is justice? And how has it informed your faith and your relationship with Christ? How does it inform your relationship with others?

Throughout this series, our aim is to understand Amos, the prophetic genre, and how it informs our lives as everyday missionaries. Our hope is that we can all individually discern how to practically apply justice within our own communities.

Justice originated in the heart and mind of God. Justice is one of God’s own attributes. Justice is a divine attribute alongside holiness, righteousness, steadfast love, and compassion. The things we’re afraid to discuss could very well be the very things God wants to discuss.

But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

- Amos 5:24

God has loved justice and hated wrongdoing from the very beginning. Justice is all about restoring wholeness to community. It is punishment for wrongdoing. But it is also restoring the rights of the vulnerable and disadvantaged. God loves justice. If we truly entrust ourselves to God, shouldn’t we also love what He cares about?

We should deeply love justice ourselves.

How can we grow in love for justice? How can we be true advocates of justice?

Sometimes, when we think about advocating for social justice, we can get caught up in the “what.” But maybe it needs to be more about the “who.” Who are the marginalized, vulnerable, and disadvantaged in your community? Who might God be asking you to be concerned about? Justice can start small and it can be really small. Our intention with this series is to lead all of us to think about the areas in our world where God and His Kingdom needs to reign.

Reflection:

• How do you feel about justice?

• Where has social justice influenced your faith in Christ and life of discipleship?

• Who is God asking you to be concerned about?