ESOCS Devotional 23 February 2026 -Treat Others The Right Way
MEMORY VERSE: “”Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes…” Amos 2:6 KJV
TEXT: AMOS 2:6-END
Thus says the Lord:
“For three transgressions of Israel, and for four,
I will not turn away its punishment,
Because they sell the righteous for silver,
And the poor for a pair of sandals.
7 They pant after the dust of the earth which is on the head of the poor,
And pervert the way of the humble.
A man and his father go in to the same girl,
To defile My holy name.
8 They lie down by every altar on clothes taken in pledge,
And drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god.
9 “Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorite before them,
Whose height was like the height of the cedars,
And he was as strong as the oaks;
Yet I destroyed his fruit above
And his roots beneath.
10 Also it was I who brought you up from the land of Egypt,
And led you forty years through the wilderness,
To possess the land of the Amorite.
11 I raised up some of your sons as prophets,
And some of your young men as Nazirites.
Is it not so, O you children of Israel?”
Says the Lord.
12 “But you gave the Nazirites wine to drink,
And commanded the prophets saying,
‘Do not prophesy!’
13 “Behold, I am weighed down by you,
As a cart full of sheaves is weighed down.
14 Therefore flight shall perish from the swift,
The strong shall not strengthen his power,
Nor shall the mighty deliver himself;
15 He shall not stand who handles the bow,
The swift of foot shall not escape,
Nor shall he who rides a horse deliver himself.
16 The most courageous men of might
Shall flee naked in that day,”
Says the Lord.
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Your Christian liberty is not an excuse to act without considering others. The most important principle is to love your brothers and The verse highlights a horrific reality where human beings, both righteous and poor, were treated as commodities to be bought and sold for financial gain. This wasn’t just a legal loophole; it was a fundamental violation of human dignity and God’s laws. The value of a person, even a debtor who couldn’t pay, was reduced to the cost of a pair of sandals. The statement “For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not revoke its punishment” signifies that Israel’s sin was not a single incident but a pattern of repeated, deliberate injustice, making it unforgivable. God’s judgment is not arbitrary but a response to their ongoing and multiplied transgressions.
God cares deeply about how we treat others, especially those who can’t defend themselves. Just going to church or being religious isn’t enough. God looks at how we treat people in our daily lives. Taking advantage of others for money is something God takes very seriously. We can’t separate our worship of God from how we treat other people.
Are we exploiting others? Think about how we might financially exploit others, even in ways that are legally permissible. Do we profit at the expense of the vulnerable? Are we ignoring God’s call for justice? Do we see the suffering of the poor and helpless but turn away? Are we ignoring God’s laws in pursuit of personal gain? How do we treat those with less? This verse challenges us to consider if our actions are a reflection of God’s love or a perversion of it. The greed and indifference described are a direct offense to God and must be repented of.
In our world today, we might not be selling people for the price of shoes, but we still face choices about how we treat others, especially those who have less power or money than we do. These verses challenge us to look at our own actions and ask: Are we part of the problem or part of the solution? Remember, God notices not just what we do in church, but how we treat the least powerful people in our lives. That’s what real faith looks like.
Reflections
- In your actions and inactions, do you grieve the Holy Spirit?
Prayer
- Oh Lord, in wrath remember mercy.
Further Reading: Isaiah 47:10-End; Luke 7:11-23; 1 Corinthians 9:1-14
ESOCS Devotional 23 February 2026
