Daily Teaching
Amos 5:14-15 — Meaning & Reflection
“Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is. Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts. Perhaps the Lord God Almighty will have mercy on the remnant of Joseph.”
Seeking God’s presence means learning to love what is good and defend what is just.
Background
Amos confronted the northern kingdom of Israel over injustice and religious complacency. The city gate was a place of legal proceedings, so establishing judgment there meant restoring justice in public life.
Teaching
The people claimed God was with them, but Amos challenged the conduct beneath that confidence. Seeking good requires more than private kindness; it includes resisting wrongdoing and protecting fair judgment. God’s presence cannot be used to excuse practices that harm our neighbors. The appeal to mercy invites humble repentance rather than confidence that religious identity guarantees safety.
Reflect
- Where do my daily choices contradict the goodness I say I love?
- What practical step could I take to support fairness for someone being overlooked?
Prayer
Lord, teach me to love good and reject evil in my own choices. Give me courage to act justly and humility to depend on your mercy. Amen.