“It is now all too common to hear calls for swift and severe retribution in response to perceived transgressions of speech and thought.” That’s what a group of quite frankly progressive authors wrote recently in Harper’s Magazine, not exactly known as a bastion of conservatism. But such a classically liberal sentiment in favor of our time-honored tradition of freedom of speech instantly drew fire from the “cancel culture.” One writer objected that just knowing one of her colleagues had signed such a letter made her “feel less safe” at her place of work. She claimed that simply allowing different opinions to be heard is nothing more than “a broadside against many disadvantaged communities.” Just like Mao’s Communist revolutionaries in China, the “cancel culture” wants to relegate “Old ideas, old customs, old culture, and old habits” to the dustbin of history.

But “Cancel Culture” wasn’t new with Mao, either. Amaziah was the priest of the illegitimate places of worship that had been set up in the Kingdom of Israel after their revolution against the dynasty of David. And when Amaziah heard the prophet Amos voicing the idea that God’s people should only worship in Jerusalem, when Amaziah heard Amos predicting that God would destroy the Kingdom of Israel and carry all its people off into exile, Amaziah had had enough. So he tried to “cancel” Amos, sending him off to the Kingdom of Judah (Amos 7:10-13).

So, how did Amos respond to this personal attack? Well, he didn’t do what would come naturally to many of us – to appeal to our proud credentials or reputation. Instead, he admitted that he didn’t have any specialized theological training – he was a shepherd who took care of fig trees on the side (Amos 7:14). And it still rarely does any good to respond to an ad hominem attack by keeping the attention where the “cancelers” want it – on ourselves instead of on our point of view.

No, Amos kept his focus on two simple points – on the source and the content of his message. He insisted that God was the author of everything he said (Amos 7:15). And he kept repeating what God had told him to say – that no matter how the people of Israel might want to deny it, they were about to be conquered and carried away into exile (Amos 7:17).

And, of course, the Assyrian army eventually did exactly what Amos was predicting. That’s why the book of Amos is in the Bible, and thus why there’s no book by Amaziah – it was the truth of Amos’ words that vindicated him, proving that he was the true prophet.

So, instead of complaining about the “cancel culture” rising all around us, maybe we need to do what Amos did and keep the main thing the main thing. Let’s speak the truth of Christ, showing and sharing His holiness and love even when others may not want to hear it. For isn’t the truth of His cross and empty tomb what we all need to hear? And don’t we all need to repent and believe that good news – before it’s too late?

Amos 7:10-17 (NASB)

10 Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent word to Jeroboam, king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel; the land is unable to endure all his words.
11 “For thus Amos says, ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword and Israel will certainly go from its land into exile.'”
12 Then Amaziah said to Amos, “Go, you seer, flee away to the land of Judah, and there eat bread and there do your prophesying!
13 “But no longer prophesy at Bethel, for it is a sanctuary of the king and a royal residence.”
14 Then Amos answered and said to Amaziah, “I am not a prophet, nor am I the son of a prophet; for I am a herdsman and a grower of sycamore figs.
15 “But the LORD took me from following the flock and the LORD said to me, ‘Go prophesy to My people Israel.’
16 “And now hear the word of the LORD: you are saying, ‘You shall not prophesy against Israel nor shall you speak against the house of Isaac.’
17 “Therefore, thus says the LORD, ‘Your wife will become a harlot in the city, your sons and your daughters will fall by the sword, your land will be parceled up by a measuring line, and you yourself will die upon unclean soil. Moreover, Israel will certainly go from its land into exile.'”