Plumb-line

This one is for Birdwatcher

One of the lectionary readings from last week was  Amos 7:7-17.  It is a passage that begins with one of Amos' visions.  The Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb-line, measuring the actions of Israel against God's will.  God was not pleased with what he found -- the life of Israel was not plumb with the will of God.

What do we use to measure if our lives are plumb?

• Our own self interest?  Are we satisfied with our the way we live our lives because we are measuring against what we want?
• Society's standards?  Do we use society as our plumb-line?  
• What everyone else is doing?  Do we think we must be doing OK if we are doing better than how we perceive everyone else is doing?
• What our church says?  Do we abdicate our morality to what the church tells us is right without examining it ourselves?  

Measuring our lives against God's plumb-line isn't easy -- at least it isn't easy for me.  First, discerning what is God's will is not an easy task -- if you think it's easy, then I urge you to dig deeper.  Secondly, reaching the plumb-line is impossible to do.

Thank God for grace.