How many chances do you get before forgiveness goes too far? Infidelity? Sexual harassment? Bullying? Theft? Fraud? Worse?
And even if remorse is always possible - when is enough enough and a price must be paid for recurring transgressions?
We ask this is of ourselves, of friends and relatives when we cause harm, we demand a higher bar from leaders and teachers who stumble or sin, and we raise this up with communities and nations.
When has wrong gone too far? Between Zero Tolerance and a margin of error - is there a calculus of consequences?
Amos, prophet of protest, thinks there is such math, and has a formula:
Three strikes —- and the fourth is the final straw.
He demonstrates this formula in the first two chapters of his short book that we just began this week on our @belowthebiblebelt929 journey along with the so called minor prophets, of which he’s the third.
Amos shows up in the public square of Samaria, Capital of the prosperous and immoral Kingdom of Israel, and begins to draw attention by initially naming and blaming the nations that surround Israel with this formulaic accusation: the Arameans - three strikes and the fourth will destroy Damascus, Phoenicians, Philistines, Moabite, Ammonites — three strikes each and then the fourth is final fault. Those nations will be obliterated. And eventually they were.
And then he brings it home: Judah and Israel- two sister kingdoms guilty of greed, excess, injustice , immoral disregard for the sacred essence of their original contract with the divine and the sanctity of all lives.
Judah is first:
YHWH Spoke:
For three transgressions of Judah,
For four, I will not revoke the decree:
Because they are beguiled by the delusions
After which their ancestors walked.
Because they cling to the old narratives that they inherited that do not reflect their reality.
The punishment will be fire upon Judah
That willdevour the fortresses of Jerusalem.
Then Israel - receives the full list of wrongs— Amos names seven sins total — do the math — three plus four:
Selling people for money, or worse - for a pair of shoes. Both father and son go to the same prostitute together desecrating the divine image of humanity, going to the temple to worship wearing clothes that are stolen or never paid for, drinking the wine paid for by taxing the poor. These are not religious transgressions - these are the signs of a sick society, unjust and immoral, unworthy of forgiveness. None shall escape the wrath, Amos warns. Even the mightiest warrior will run away from the battle field, naked, no weapon no shoes.
The Talmud on this chapter cites the flood - the reason that generation was found guilty with no chance for remorse was that it went too far with disagreed for human dignity and the sanctity of life.
How many chances do we get before forgiveness goes too far?
And even if remorse is always possible - when is enough enough and a price must be paid for recurring transgressions?
Individuals? Nations?
Do the math. Hear the words of Amos from the 8th century BCE echoing right now to make us think, act, be and do better, and to hold accountable, with whatever protest, those in power and to say to them — Enough is Enough.
May we all listen to the prophetic warnings before it’s too late.
Fourth Strike is final