In Sunday’s Lectionary we read about the prophet Amos. He was deeply unpopular because God’s message was something the people didn’t want to hear… and Amos was a foreigner too. So, it’s not much fun to be a prophet. How much easier it would be to tell people what they were itching to hear.
Sometimes we need to hear the truth – even though it doesn’t sell newspapers or get a following with our chums on social media. Our dislike for the truth is a millennia-old problem for the human race. Sometimes the consequences become urgent – as now when we are facing a worsening of anthropogenic climate change. We’d rather hear either that it’s not really happening – or that a big technological fix will save us from having to change our lifestyles – or some other stuff that will keep us comfortable.
And the people of Israel didn’t really want to change their ways – so, ‘Amos, effoff back to Judah!’