Plumb Line

“This is what he showed me: behold, the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand. And the Lord said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said, “Behold, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel; I will never again pass by them...”

Amos 7:7-8

I was building a wall. Cinder block on top of cinder block. My group was in a remote Honduran village and we were helping the people rebuild their lives following Hurricane Mitch. After the end of each course the Honduran foreman that was leading the work pulled a string and weight out of his pocket. A simple plumb line. It ensured that the walls stayed vertical.

Verticals walls are vital, not for aesthetics, but for the integrity of the building. If a wall isn’t plumb it isn’t stable. A little lean is okay, but building codes are particular about how much a wall can be “out of plumb” before it needs to be addressed. There is a reason tourists are no longer allowed to climb the inside of the tower at Pisa.

The same is true in your life. Being out of alignment is hazardous for your health. That’s why every pediatric doctor appointment is filled with measurements and assessments to gauge the growth and development of your little one. It’s why our schools use standardized tests and its why OSHA exists. These entities have developed specific standards. Measuring your progress towards the standard is an indication of health and mitigates risk.

The vital question, therefore, is what standard are you using? How do you measure up to it?

This is what Amos encounters in his vision from the Lord—God’s plumb line. This is the standard for Israel. And this is the standard for you and me.

I don’t know about you, but I can easily come up with justifications for my poor decisions. I can twist logic and modify reason to my advantage with little effort. In short, I can create my own plumb line—one that is crooked—that aligns well with my crooked reasons.

But, in our life of faith, God’s Word is our plumb line. It is the standard. It is the only thing that shows us our true vertical. Butting your life up to the Word of God is the best way you can know if you are plumb. Alignment to God’s Word is the measurement of obedience. Candidly, you and I will fail. We are always out of plumb. This is why there is confession and forgiveness as well as amendment of life. Course correcting your decisions and ways is what brings you back into alignment. Never on your own. Always with the guidance and leadership of the Holy Spirit in your life.

God gave Amos the plumb line image to show how out of sync Israel had become. Seeking their own ways, trusting their own wisdom, catering to their own desires and justifying all of these as valid and good—this was Israel’s error. And it is ours as well.

The Honduran foreman, after each course was laid, used his tool to confirm that the wall met the standard. Measuring a wall against itself is a poor standard. Measuring your life against yourself or against culture or against your whims and desires is a great way to assure you are off kilter.

Alignment with the Word of God is the standard. This is why the Holy Spirit continues to invite you to walk on the Jesus Way.

When was a time you were "out of plumb" and how did the Holy Spirit lead you to correct your ways?

How is this a model for course correction going forward?