WATCHWORD JULY 2026 ““But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!“ Amos 5:24
The time in which Amos wrote these words was filled with growing inequality between the rich and poor, corruption was making its way into the courts, and exploitation of the vulnerable was becoming common. Sound familiar?
So, when Amos prophesizes: “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!”, he wants to make clear that God is condemning a society where religious observance coexists with systemic injustice. The believers are doing all the write things. They are not being accused of wrong theology or neglecting worship.
Rather, God is addressing the fact that religious rituals cannot compensate for the injustice that is taking place in front of everyone. God rejects worship that is disconnected from justice and righteousness. As believers we cannot claim to belong to God while we live in ways that harm those around us. As Martin Luther later put it: “God does not need your good works, but your neighbour does”.
This responsibility is not meant to weigh us down as though God were placing another demand upon us. Rather, caring for those around us has always been part of the life of faith. Christ has always been at work shaping His people to become more like Him. Throughout His ministry, Jesus never ignored the needs of those around Him.
As those who bear His name, we too are called to reflect that same concern for our neighbours, not to earn God’s favour, but because we have already received it. May God continue to mould us into “little Christs,” so that His love may be seen not only in our worship, but also in the way we care for those around us.
Pastor Ingrid van Sittert
