This is what he showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb, with a plumb line in his hand. And the Lord asked me, “What do you see, Amos?”
“A plumb line,” I replied.
Then the Lord said, “Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer. Amos 7 v 7 – 8
Lesson Aim
To understand that people are sinful by God’s standards.
Hook: Plumb line, spirit level, trowel
Show the children a spirit level and ask them what it is used for. If you have ever built a wall then tell the children about your experience or explain how a bricklayer would use his trowel and spirit level to ensure that the wall is level and vertical.
Use the spirit level to test the accuracy of some of the walls.
Then show a plumb line and explain how it is used to test whether something is vertical. If you have used one to wallpaper or to build with, share your experiences.
Application
Finally show the children the words from Amos. What is God talking about when he says that He is going to test people with a plumb line? God is talking about their lives and how sinful they are. Sin is like something not being vertical. A plumb line will always tell us the truth and God will test us to find that we have failed Him by sinning. This is why we need to know the forgiveness of Jesus. Only then can we be put right in God’s eyes.