As people of faith, we are often looking to do what we think God would want us to do. In these times of great division and confusion, Christians will often ask the question about whether something is Biblical or not. In these great debates and discussions, we often forget a simple verse in the Old Testament.
No, it's not the Ten Commandments and no I don't think these should be hung in public buildings. God never asked us to do this. It is a verse that speaks to what God requires of us. We might say it better by saying that it's a verse that speaks to what God hopes would guide our lives.
The great thing is that the little verse in the Old Testament that speaks to this certainly does not make it complicated. Not only is it simple and clear, it speaks to a way of existing that all people can grab onto. Christian or not, this is something we can strive for.
"God has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8.
To do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God. I think we should look at these in reverse order because when we do, then one sort of leads to the other, and so on. Walking humbly with God. It starts there. It starts in that relationship with God. Like those disciples walking with Jesus, learning and growing and become more like Jesus, we are called to walk in a relationship with God.
Out of this relationship flows all of those things that God desires. Faith is not about a set of rules or regulations, it is about a relationship. As we humble ourselves, as we let God lead us, and as we follow, we begin to do the other two requirements.
Loving mercy. Not just being merciful, but loving to be merciful. The dictionary defines mercy as compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm.
Compassion and forgiveness. Compassion is in short order these days. We struggle to show mercy to anyone that we don't agree with, we don't like, or don't understand. We see this in our Facebook posts, in our politics, and in our general negativity towards anyone different than ourselves. A good test of this is to consider what group of people makes you angry or frustrated and ask how you might extend mercy. Prayer for them, get to know them, reach out in love towards them.
Often our lack of mercy leads to our lack of justice and of course showing mercy allows us to put an end to injustice. Injustice, people being pushed aside, shoved down, broken, made to be less, harmed, and hurt by our beliefs, by our systems, by our government, and by our economic structures is all around us.
Economic injustice, racial injustice, injustice towards people because of their race, their sexual orientation, their immigration status are all things that God desires we work to change. We as people of faith are called to fight injustice in all of its forms. Justice takes sacrifice and it takes work.
"Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable... Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals." Martin Luther King Jr.
It takes work, it takes giving up power, and it takes sacrifice to bring about justice in our world. Let's be people who live out Micah 6:8. Regardless of our faith traditions or our beliefs, may we let this be a guide. It can even be a litmus test as to how we treat people in Woodland and beyond. Do your words, your thoughts, your beliefs, your social media comments, your votes, and even who your vote for reflect an attitude of humility, loving mercy, and justice?
So, let's live what is good, let's walk humbly, let's love mercy, and let's do justice.
Reverend Thomas Widlund – Woodland United Methodist Church
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