Survivor

The prophet Amos was "from away…" That wonderful Maine phrase that means "absolutely anywhere other than Maine." It is a phrase that also defines a certain difference or distance between people, implying a certain measure of experience or understanding that will never be shared or held in common. Many of you are from away, as I am. And, or course, a lot of you are native to Maine. What does it feel like? To not be "from away?" Although the phrase is unique to Maine, the sentiment is not. Texans, for example, are just as bad. There’s a bumper sticker that says, "I may not be a native Texan, but I got here as quick as I could." I’m not a native Texas either.

In Amos’ time, around eight centuries before the birth of Christ, the land we now think of as Israel was made up of two nations. Both the northern kingdom, called Israel, and the southern kingdom of Judah were descended from Abraham. They were the same people; cousins in heritage and common in their faith in Yahweh. But politically and economically they were indeed distinct. At this time the northern kingdom of Israel was flourishing, growing, heady with a sense of purpose and prosperity. Amos was from the southern kingdom of Judah. He came up to the north and, speaking on God’s behalf, began to prophesy: "I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; I will bring sackcloth on all loins, and baldness on every head; I will make it like the mourning for an only son, and the end of it like a bitter day. The time is surely coming, says the Lord God, when I will send a famine…"

I suppose it might be a bit like a Canadian coming down to the U.S. and loudly criticizing every feature of American government and life. Except for the fact that right now no one except a few fanatics would feel right saying the slightest word of criticism towards the U.S.

It is not we as Americans, though, that I wish to focus on this morning. It is we as Christians. We are Christians first. In theory, this is a sermon that could be preached at any time under any circumstances. It is as Christians that we must live in this country and respond to what has happened. Just as it is as Christians that we approach our jobs, interact with our neighbors, nurture our families. As Christians, we are always called to seek God’s will, God’s purpose, God’s kingdom first in our lives.

In a bit we will sing a simple hymn: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God. And its righteousness." Easier said than done. Where are we to find God’s kingdom? How are we to know God’s purpose in our lives? How are we to know God’s word when it is spoken to us?

Amos reminds us that God’s word may come to us from an unexpected source. Amos was a stranger, a visitor, someone new and presumably unknown. His social and cultural background were different from the northern people of Israel. The people of Israel might have expected to hear a wise patriarch of their own family share God’s word with them. Or a village elder who shared their experiences and perspectives. But not Amos. After all, Amos was from away; they had nothing in common.

And he wasn’t even an official prophet, nor a member of the clergy of the day. He didn’t have credentials. We hear earlier in the Book of Amos that Amos was a herdsman and dresser of sycamore trees. Until God called him to be a prophet. The people had no reason to trust that Amos had any authority to speak for God.

And Amos’ words to the people of Israel were none too comfortable. He starkly challenged their greed and exploitation of the poor. He challenged a way of life they cherished and clung to. Amos’ words would have been tempting to ignore even coming from someone familiar and trusted.

Amos’ words would have been easy to miss, easy to discount, easy to ignore. Even if the people of Israel had been eager for God’s word, which it doesn’t sound like they were, many other voices in their lives would have been easier to hear and easier to heed. But it was Amos who spoke God’s word. If we exclude any voices from our lives, from our hearing, we risk shutting out the one that God has sent to speak to us.

In the light of the tragedies of September 11, a sort of voluntary censorship has evidently gripped the entertainment industry. All of a sudden ads for the new TV series about the CIA, "The Agency", have disappeared from the airwaves. Violent videos or music CD’s have evaporated from store shelves. And I gather radio stations have developed lists of songs that are not to be aired, including Peter, Paul and Mary’s poignant ballad "Leaving on a Jet Plane." I hope this censorship ends. Not because I am eager to go back to normal, but because I think the presence of these shows and songs and images prophetically challenge us to reexamine what we thought was normal. I think we need to hear all of the voices that are out there. Prophets speak in unexpected ways.

On the other hand, I can think of a few TV shows I would like to censor. Survivor is one—not for the reasons you may think. The Weakest Link is another. I will admit I have not watched a full segment of either of these shows. But what troubles me about both is that they involve the systematic elimination of community, the silencing or excluding of voices that for whatever reason are unwelcome. As I understand it, in the Survivor episodes each week the remaining participants get together and vote whom to exclude from their future. Survivor gets its name, not as a commendation of someone who has survived real hardship or trial, but as a celebration of one who has survived the ruthless process of exclusion by others.

No one gains in that process. A community is weakened, not strengthened, when any individual is excluded, any voice silenced. In the Survivor of his day, Amos would definitely have been voted off the island right off the bat and the people of God would have lost the voice of God in their midst. Amos tells them that if they do not mend their ways the famine that will come will be a famine of the Word of the Lord. It is God’s guiding and sustaining Word that they will lose if Amos’ voice is not heard. I fear that in the current crisis that faces us as a nation, we run the risk of metaphorically "voting off the island" all those who do not join the unified chorus. I worry that, as individuals, we will mentally exclude the input of diverse perspectives.

As Christians, we are called to follow God’s word and will in our lives. Amos reminds us that God’s word may come to us in words we do not expect to hear from a person we would never expect to be God’s spokesperson.

I have a friend who is a priest in northern New Jersey. Many of her parishioners work in The City. Fortunately none were injured or killed. She is a Christian pacifist. She has been for a long time, long before thousands of people were evilly killed in New York City. She is also very frank, and in conversation with some of her parishioners she mentioned that if extended, aggressive military action were to come, she would be out protesting for peace. Her parishioners were appalled at the potential scandal of having their rector arrested. To raise a sincere voice as a Christian is no scandal. Hers is a prophetic voice that those particular parishioners need to hear. And knowing my friend, I know that there are prophetic voices that she needs to hear, and is undoubtedly reluctant to hear. The voice, for example, of any thoughtful Republican who is also a sincere Christian.

When we silence or shut any voice out of our lives, we risk losing the voice of God spoken to us. Surely in a time when we so desperately need God’s voice, that is a risk we do not want to take.

Over these past twelve days there have been many people who have seemed to be quite sure of God’s perspective on events and certain of God’s plan for them or for the nation. In my own life, I take great comfort in God’s presence and love, but I have not been so sure, yet, of God’s specific guidance or direction. These days have certainly been like no others and as I have wondered how to respond, how to lead, how to make all the little decisions that have arisen, I have heard many different voices. I think the hardest, most draining aspect of living these days has been the effort of trying to truly discern God’s word, God’s purpose, for me. I am certain that it is there. If I listen enough. Listen to the voices from Scripture, listen to voices from my past, if I listen to all of the diverse voices that are raised in the world today. God is speaking. If I listen, probably in some startling and unexpected moment, I will come to see and hear and know God’s word for me. And so will you. And if you’re really listening, you may discover that God also provides guidance on how you are to live as a Christian on the job, or in your community, or within your family.

I conclude on a lighter note with another illustration from TV. I’m reminded of Candid Camera. I forget the exact words, but they could be our theme as Christians.

You never know. Somewhere… sometime… someplace… when you least expect it, someone may come up to you and say, "Thus says the Lord your God."

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