In today's Old Testament reading, the prophet Amos speaks God's word of judgment against Israel saying, "I will not revoke the punishment; because they sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals — they who trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth, and push the afflicted out of the way." That line, "the needy for a pair of sandals," appears again later in Amos. Amos is perhaps best know for his words that speak of God's hating Israel's festivals and worship, a condemnation that ends with the calls to "let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream." But for me, one of the more memorable lines in the Bible has always been, "the needy for a pair of sandals."
Amos clearly has little use for the wealthy and powerful who see the poor and needy as nothing more than assets to be used, items by which they can further enrich themselves. But of course economics often wants to reduce individuals to assets, to view them not as human beings but as resources. Whether it is the use of sweatshop labor or large scale corporate layoffs driven by short term profits, people often become simply numbers on a spreadsheet. Even the use of the term "human resources" as a substitute for "personnel" locates people on a balance sheet along with other raw materials used in production.
When I was growing up, there was a very strange TV show called "The Prisoner" which enjoyed a very brief run but attracted a loyal following. In the show the lead character had somehow been captured and held in a secluded community where everyone had a number. The plot line of the show consisted of his refusal to be absorbed into this culture and his continual efforts to escape. I was only 10 or so when it was on, but I still remember a line this prisoner spoke. "I am not a number!"
"Thus says the LORD, for three transgressions and for four, I will not revoke the punishment; because they sell the righteous for silver, and see the needy as nothing more than a number." Over and over the prophets of the Bible, along with that New Testament prophet named Jesus, insist that God does not see people as numbers, and that God has a special concern for the weak, the vulnerable, the poor, and the needy. Jesus does not speak of bringing good news to the rich or powerful, but of good news to the poor and release to the captive.
The Church sometimes plays the numbers game, speaking of salvation as though it were another form of economics, with balance sheets where divine accounting takes place. But Jesus views people as people, as those he reaches out to touch, heal, and make whole. And like the prophets before him, he saves his ire for those who do not see others as the beloved of God, who do not extend a loving hand to those who are hurting, are broken, or have lost their way.
Jesus, thank you for not seeing me as a number, for loving me and calling me to a new and better life. Help me to see others as you see me.
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