Wealth Without Justice
Silence and stillness before God (2 minutes)
Scripture reading
Scripture reading:
Amos 6:4-7
You lie on beds adorned with ivory and lounge on your couches. You dine on choice lambs and fattened calves. You strum away on your harps like David and improvise on musical instruments. You drink wine by the bowlful and use the finest lotions, but you do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph.
Devotional
The prophet Amos confronts Israel’s elite, who lived in luxury while ignoring the suffering around them. Their wealth was extravagant, but their hearts were cold. The problem was not their possessions as such but their indifference. They lived for self while their community crumbled.
This is a piercing critique of Western materialism. Comfort and luxury can dull compassion. We can become so focused on our own enjoyment that we fail to notice injustice around us. Materialism numbs us to suffering—it makes us consumers first, neighbours second.
God’s heart is different. He calls His people to see, to grieve, and to act. True worship is not ivory couches and overflowing wine but justice, mercy, and humility before God (Micah 6:8). Breaking free from materialism means learning to see beyond ourselves and to let compassion disturb our comfort.
Question to consider
Where has comfort dulled your compassion? How can you choose justice and mercy over self-indulgence this week?
Prayer
God of justice, forgive me when I am consumed by comfort. Open my eyes to those in need, and move my heart to act with compassion and mercy.
Conclude with silence (2 minutes)
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