Prophets for profit

If you tune into David Letterman, Jay Leno or other late night TV shows you know what to expect; their goal is to make you laugh. Whether they are poking fun a politicians or others in the news, or if they are interviewing a guest they keep the mood light and the tempo up. If on the other hand you tune into any of the evening news programs you are not likely to hear much to make you laugh. Not much good can be found in the news.

Israel and Judah would prefer late night. Instead of TV they had groups of prophets that offered them just what they wanted to hear. Like a roadside show some prophets were simply in it for the ‘profit’ and not God’s word.

[5] Here is God's Message to the prophets, the preachers who lie to my people: "For as long as they're well paid and well fed, the prophets preach, 'Isn't life wonderful! Peace to all!' But if you don't pay up and jump on their bandwagon, their 'God bless you' turns into 'God damn you.'
[6] Therefore, you're going blind. You'll see nothing. You'll live in deep shadows and know nothing. . . [7]. . . They'll hide behind their reputations and make lame excuses to cover up their God-ignorance."

[8] But me—I'm filled with God's power, filled with God's Spirit of justice and strength, Ready to confront Jacob's crime and Israel's sin.
Micah 3:5-8 (MsgB)

Micah remained faithful to his calling to proclaim God’s word and not give in to the temptation to say things that tickled people’s ears. Micah wasn’t in it for the laughs but for the legitimacy of God’s word. Many of the other so called prophets of Micah’s day would you want you wanted to hear, but not Micah; he told you what you needed to hear. Micah could proclaim God’s word because he didn’t rely upon his own strength or imagination. Micah announced the truth in the power of the Lord.

What about us? Will our ears be attentive to hear God’s word proclaimed in the power of the Spirit even if it makes us uncomfortable? Or will we tune out anything that doesn’t make us feel good? Furthermore, are we willing to be empowered by the Spirit to not only speak His word but to obey it as well regardless of what doing so may cost us?