Do Right. Love Mercy. Walk Humbly.

Micah 6:8 NLT

I can’t tell you how many times I struggle with the questions, “Am I doing any good?” or “Am I pleasing God?”  The prophet Micah gives instruction to the nations of what pleases God.  It’s not sacrifice, but the heart behind the sacrifice.  Our attitudes drive our actions.

So, what is right and what does God require?  The prophet gives us some insight.

Do What Is Right.  Solomon shares, “To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.” (Prov 21:3)  Doing what is right promotes the passion, purpose and principles of God.  When we honor Him, we please Him.  Leonard Ravenhill writes, “If we displease God, does it matter whom we please? If we please Him does it matter whom we displease?”  Our doing starts with our being.  Paul reminds us, “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” (Phil 4:8 NLT)

Love Mercy.  When you love something, you want to share it.  Mercy is defined as, “compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm.” Abraham Lincoln writes, “I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice.”  The prophet Hosea reminds us of the magnificence of showing mercy.  He shares, “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.”  (Hosea 6:6)  Loving mercy is illustrated in our initial response to injustice . . . in our societies, our communities and our homes.

Mercy is a healing salve in our hurting struggles.

Mercy is compassion in our conflicts.

Mercy is grace in our grief.

Love mercy . . . show mercy . . . give mercy.

Walk Humbly With God.  James reminds us, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.” (James 4:10 NIV)  Humility is seeing ourselves as God sees us . . . significant enough to experience His mercy, grace and love . . . yet willing to serve to express His mercy, grace and love. David Wells writes, “Humility has nothing to do with depreciating ourselves and our gifts in ways we know to be untrue. Even ‘humble’ attitudes can be masks of pride. Humility is that freedom from our self which enables us to be in positions in which we have neither recognition nor importance, neither power nor visibility, and even experience deprivation, and yet have joy and delight. It is the freedom of knowing that we are not in the center of the universe, not even in the center of our own private universe.”

Don’t settle on seeing yourself the way others see you . . . be satisfied with the way God sees you . . . worthy, willing and His workmanship.

Walking with God requires our communion with Him, our commitment to Him and our confidence in Him.

Walk well, my friends . . . walk well.