The Plumb Line

Last Sunday’s scripture reading in Amos 7:7-17 talked about God using a plumb line as a standard for the Israelite people. The simple plumb line is the oldest tool used in the construction trade. It is used to determine if something is or is not perfectly aligned or upright. God’s Word functions as a plumb line that tells us how the stresses of the world will make faulty human construction doomed to collapse. God’s Word is the Holy Scriptures, but much more. The Holy Scriptures are about God’s involvement in the existence of humanity. The Old Testament gives us the story of God’s presence and involvement through the Israelite people. The New Testament is the story of God’s Son, incarnate, living among us as an example of a life lived centered on (always pointing to) God. God’s Word is not only the written scriptures, but also the living Christ. Christ is our “plumb line” for living in this world. It is the measure by which you and I deem what is important.

The Church today finds itself, as Amos did, a reluctant prophet to the world reminding the world of the unpleasant realities of human crookedness. But as the Body of Christ, we, the Church, have a standard to follow that standard is Christ, himself. We are called to be in relationship with the living God always checking to see if we line up with God’s love, mercy, forgiveness and peace. When Christ’s followers live uprightly, then the world will be able to see its own crookedness.