From Being A Nobody To Being Somebody 

Amos 7:14 – Amos answered Amaziah, “I was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees.

Amos 7:15 – But the LORD took me from tending the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’

We all love stories of rags to riches. Stories of grass to grace. Stories of how people made it from a low position in society to a high position. From being a nobody to being a somebody.

Prophet Amos wasn’t interested to talk about his success and how he became someone important. Amos begins his prophecy with God’s word without any self introduction. It may seem like he has no story to tell about his rise to being a significant prophet in Israel.

When we have an important assignment, we should focus on it and not on ourselves. It is a sign of weakness and bad behavior to focus on ourselves when we have an important assignment to do. If you are a preacher, just preach and go home. The work is more important than who you are!

However sometimes, your story can be a testimony to the power of God and therefore enhances the message. Your personal story is only useful if it illustrates God’s word. An illustration should not  be more memorable than the message it illustrates. Only tell your story if it will clarify God’s message!

Israel was made of two kingdoms which were formerly one. Amos came from the Southern kingdom, but he was preaching in the northern kingdom. The message of Amos was becoming very serious to the extent that leaders of the northern kingdom became uncomfortable.

Amaziah went to Amos and warned him to stop preaching in the northern kingdom. Amaziah tells Amos to shut up and go back to his home in the southern kingdom. It is at this point that Amos who hadn’t said anything about himself, is forced to briefly focus on himself to illustrate God’s word.

Amos tells Amaziah and all those who were listening that he was a nobody. Amos tells them that he was a small person in society. His business was to be a shepherded and take care of sycamore trees. He was satisfied with his station in life until God’s word came to him to come and preach!

Amos 7:14 – Amos answered Amaziah, “I was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees.

Amos 7:15 – But the LORD took me from tending the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’

Amos attributes his rise from being a nobody to being a someone to God. He says, God took me from tending the flock. It is God’s doing. It is God who made somebody important.

Apostle Paul to was forced severally to speak about himself to illustrate how he became an important preacher of the Christian movement. Apostle Paul also attributes his rise to God’s action and call in his life. It is God who moves people from being nobody to being someone!

We should focus on God and his message and not ourselves. Our story doesn’t matter and has no value, unless it is illustrating without obstructing God’s word. It is only God who can move us from being nobody to being somebody!

God who moved Amos from being nobody to being somebody is still alive. God who moved Apostle Paul to be a great preacher is still alive. This God is willing and able to move you and me from being nobody to somebody. May He move us sooner than we expect, in Jesus’s name, Amen!

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