He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? – Micah 6:8
Have you ever tried to French braid your own hair or someone else’s? You begin with a small amount of hair drawn from the temples which is divided into three parts, then begin the crossing-over process. As you braid down the back of the head, you alternate adding more hair to the strands, until you have eventually incorporated the remainder.
Sometimes a Christian will be uncertain about what it is God requires of them. The prophet Micah laid it out clearly in today’s verse. It amounts to three things. That’s all. Do justice. Love kindness or, as some Bible versions say, mercy. Walk humbly with your God. These three strands constitute the core of what the Lord teaches you to do.
Doing justice and loving kindness start with a humble walk with the Lord. You begin by recognizing the sovereignty and righteousness of God as well as your deep dependence on Him. You acknowledge that, in all things, He is God and you’re not! Scripture has laid out God’s directions for you to be like Jesus. “Whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked” (1 John 2:6).
“Humility,” Charles Spurgeon said, “must be in the heart, and then it will come out spontaneously as the outflow of life in every act.” Doing justly and loving mercy are part of those outflows. The Enduring Word Bible Commentary says, “Don’t just show mercy, but love to show it. Give others the same measure of mercy you want to receive from Me.” The commentary states, for doing justly, “Act in a just, fair way towards others. Treat them as you would want to be treated.”
Do these sound familiar? Jesus directed, “As you wish that others would do to you, do so to them” (Luke 6:31). Walking humbly with God is the prerequisite to following this Golden Rule. A life lived according to this command of Jesus reflects the character of God to others.
Pray for members of Congress and others to understand that true justice begins with a righteous and loving God, and to pattern their decisions according to the dictates of Scripture. Righteousness and moral obedience align with God’s laws.
Today’s Verse: Micah 6:8
He has told you, O man, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Recommended for further reading: Ephesians 4:22-32
22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
