Our scripture verse for Indiana Michigan Mennonite Conference this year is Amos 5:24: “But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream” (ESV). 

In our conference gatherings, we have focused on the stream as the giver of life. We’ve considered what justice might look like. We’ve reflected on our own contributions to justice and righteousness. 

For a theme verse, we only use a snippet of scripture, something catchy and memorable. The preamble to this verse, however, is not at all catchy but should prove memorable. It says: 

I hate, I despise your festivals, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the offerings of well-being of your fattened animals I will not look upon. Take away from me the noise of your songs; I will not listen to the melody of your harps.

Hate. Despise. These are powerful words. Some of us have been taught not to use them because of their power and strength. 

“Do you really hate?” 

“It’s not right to hate.” 

“Despise is an ugly word.” 

At least, this is how I was taught. 

God, speaking through Amos, is not afraid of using these words. I hope readers don’t come upon this and question the moral character of God. These are angry statements, accusatory and sharp. While some of us may hold these emotions back, God’s example shows us these emotions are valid. 

Anger is a secondary emotion. The emotion behind it is sadness. Many of us understand sadness but maybe don’t allow ourselves to move on to anger. 

Why might God be sad? 

The Book of Amos contains a lot of broken-covenant language. The covenant did not exempt Israel from sin.  God puts all nations, not just Israel, on the same playing field. Idolatry and unjust ways were rampant. This was a breach of God’s dream for God’s people. 

It may be anthropomorphic to place human emotions on a deity. But I believe emotions cross the boundary between the Divine and God’s people. 

While emphasis could be placed on our fallen world, its injustice and lack of righteousness, I want to emphasize why. 

Why is God angry? Why are we angry? Should we allow ourselves to be angry? 

Anger can be a catalyst of justice. We feel anger at unfair treatment, swindling, lying, cheating. We feel anger when innocent people hurt. It’s innate in our empathy. 

Yet the primary emotion is sadness. We are disappointed in systems that should care for the least of these. We are sad when someone violates our boundaries. We grieve when something or someone we love dearly is taken from us. 

Sadness is triggered not only by the behavior of others but disappointment in ourselves. 

At a conference gathering, we looked at Amos 5:24 and asked how we had contributed to justice and righteousness. Maybe we hadn’t contributed or hadn’t experienced the contributions others made. 

We understand God’s anger when we are angry at ourselves. 

Anger is not constructive unless it’s a catalyst for change. Anger is not useful unless we address the underlying sadness. 

There is no easy cure for sadness.  It’s been my experience that the only way out is through. Let’s not skip the angry stage. Anger shouldn’t be forced, but if we feel it, let’s not run away from it. 

Anger is a powerful emotion. It can cause destruction, or we can channel it into bearing justice and righteousness. It can give us the energy we need to move and act. 

It’s good to sit with anger before we move but not to dwell in it. If we’ve explored our sadness, we better understand our anger. When we understand our anger, we can move in just and righteous ways. 

God is our teacher and shows us that anger is not something to run away from but to examine and understand. 

In Amos 5:21-23, we read between the lines the depth of God’s sadness. Can we allow ourselves to feel as God feels and move toward righteousness as God moves Amos to proclaim to God’s people? 

This scripture causes us to sit, feel and then move. It’s my hope that we are not afraid to do the internal work that leads to justice.