Sep 9

Sep 9 Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys

Relationships, Temptation, Spiritual Growth, Friendship

They drink wine by the bowlful and anoint themselves with the finest oils but do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph.

Amos 6:6 (CSB)

Have you heard friends gossiping and kept listening? Or watched someone’s marriage fail because of infidelity? Maybe you felt like it wasn’t your place to say anything.

That’s how this attitude of “not my circus. Not my monkeys” lures us into a false sence of security, leading us into a complacent faith.

The Old Testament prophet Amos did not sugarcoat God’s coming judgment for Israel and the surrounding nations. He warned them about God’s judgment against acts of violence, destruction, dishonesty, and disobedience. But the one that stopped me in my tracks was complacency.

Amos 6:1-7 warns those who can easily dismiss the evil around them because everything in their world is just fine, thank you very much.

I hate to break it to you, but our circle of influence is our circus. Our friends and family are our monkeys.

When brothers and sisters around us fall victim to sinful acts or engage in sin, we must intervene. Maybe through prayer, physical intervention, or verbal counsel. But we should always be moved to act.

If we enjoy the comforts of our daily life but don’t grieve over the plight of other Christians, we miss the foundation Christian concept of loving one another.

Lord, help us not grow complacent in our faith in times of comfort. Help us to remember our brothers and sisters in all circumstances. Amen.

Leslie L. Bowers

Leslie Bowers

Leslie L. Bowers is a writer, Bible teacher, and seminary student. She hopes to write Bible studies and do speaking engagements upon completing her seminary degree. She married Andrew in 2011, and they have two kids. She is a stay-at-home mom and spends most of her time chasing her kids around. In her free time, you can find her listening to audiobooks (especially Christian historical romances), watching period dramas, or painting. She is a huge Jane Austen fan and hopes to attend the Jane Austen fest in Bath, England, one day- in full costume, of course! She also loves hand-written notes (letter writing is a lost art!) and drinking tea of all varieties. Most importantly, she is passionate about Bible literacy and desires for every woman to fall in love with God and His word… just like she has!