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Every day a thousand choices present themselves to us, each one more complex and convoluted than the last. How is the modern Christian expected to figure out the will of God in their lives? What compounds the problem are the multitude of voices and Instagram-celebrities that promote their own unique way of following God. When faced with such complexities, perhaps the solution is to go back to the basics.
The prophet Micah ministered against a bleak time in Israel’s history. A mighty enemy, the Assyrian empire, had arisen against Israel and Judah and succeeded in destroying the northern tribes of Israel. All this left the people of God scared and afraid for the future. How could they find security? Had God abandoned them, and if so what did they need to do in order for God to be happy with them?
Against this background, Micah speaks the simple and plain truth. God had already revealed exactly what He does and does not want from His people. We cannot hope to appease God by working our way into righteousness, nor sacrificing others for our own sin. Instead, Micah listed out the three principles of what God asks of His people: to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with Him.
The second thing God desires is that His people love kindness. Again, Micah emphasizes his point with the word love. Kindness is not merely an ephemeral concept we can add to our lives, but it is something we are to love and cling to. Kindness demands that we live charitably, speak peaceably, and serve others passionately. Like the justice God looks for, kindness is a second person quality; it requires us to be in relationship and fellowship with others.
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The first thing God desires of His people, is that they do justice. Not merely appreciate justice, not simply assent that justice is good, but we are to do justice. Our actions reflect our beliefs. God wants His people to reflect His character; He is a just God and so His people are to bring about justice in their communities. We are to seek out and support the broken, liberate the oppressed, and deliver the downtrodden.
Finally, God desires His people to walk humbly with Him. There is a certain pride that can sneak into the Christian life; a pride that we follow after God, and thus we must be very important people. Or so our egos tell us. Micah reminds us that God is in heaven, and we are on Earth. We do not live and exist solely for our own glory or aggrandizement, but rather we live to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. We need to humbly understand that we are not the center of the universe, but we have the tremendous opportunity to share about the One who is that center.
When life gets so complex that we feel left behind, we need to remind ourselves of the basics of faith. God’s desire for you and I is not an arcane mystery nor hidden secret, but it is captured simply and plainly by Micah. We are people who should do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly before God. By focusing on the basics, we see the principles that will enable us to live faithful and fruitful lives for God.
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