Today is the day of national election day in Israel. They must choose among three parties to lead them. All three parties seem interested in national security. Two would pursue it by giving up more territory. The third would pursue it by giving up no more territory. Yet despite their increased peril, an amazing number of Israeli voters appear disinterested.

Thus verse 1 strikes me as so fitting for them today: “Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria.”

That paragraph (at least as the KJV does paragraphs) ends with this:

“But they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph” (Amos 6:6).

Or as I translate it from the 1960 Spanish Bible: “They do not afflict themselves for the brokenness of Joseph.”

In Amos’ days, the people were disinterested in the breach (gap in the wall of protection) they had.

But never mind the Israelis then and now — what about me?

Do I care about my spiritual breaches? Do I think they are not important? Do I think they are just little things? Do I think I can live with them OK?

I must remember that any break in the dike poses a serious threat to my well-being.