Readings for today: Micah 5-7
“But He’s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, And don’t take yourself too seriously— take God seriously.” (Micah 6:8 MSG)
There may not be a better verse for our time. Our nation is crying out for justice. Our world stands in desperate need of compassion and kindness. And humility before God is the key to it all. The people Micah was speaking to were going through all the right motions. They were bringing all the right sacrifices. Saying all the right prayers. Outwardly bowing before God in reverence. But God saw the hypocrisy of their hearts. He saw how their pious words didn’t match up with their actions. He saw the lack of integrity and the dis-integration of their lives. And they fell under His righteous judgment.
We have a choice, you see. Either we will do justice or God will. Either we will follow God’s ways and walk in obedience to God’s commands and live the lives He has created us to live or He will judge us for our sins. Friends, our sin impacts the world around us. It may be the people we live with. It may be the neighbors next door. The classmates at school. Co-workers at the office. Even people on the other side of the globe. Every word we say has a chance to give or take life. Every dollar we spend has a chance to help or hurt. Every vote we cast is a chance to bring God’s Kingdom a little closer or drive it further away. Every minute of every day is an opportunity to make an eternal difference in this world. Don’t buy it? Google a few of the studies on the negative impact of social media on mental health. Now scroll through your posts from the last week. Are your contributions life-giving or life-stealing? Take a look at your budget or your online check register. Where are your dollars primarily going? Yes, we all have bills to pay. But what about the disposable income? Who’s getting the lion’s share? Most American Christians are giving less now than they did during the Great Depression. And what about churches? What do they do with the dollars they receive? How many of them actually take those dollars and deploy them locally and globally to make a difference for the gospel? According to surveys by groups like Christianity Today, most churches only give around 5% to missions outside their doors. Consider your voting record. Do you carefully consider the policy platform of the candidates you vote for or do you simply vote down the party line? Are you an advocate for policies that reflect God’s justice and mercy? Remember, God has entrusted the “dominion” of this world into our hands as human beings. He expects us to pursue justice in alignment with His will so that all creation can flourish under His divine love and care.
Of course, the temptation is to try to bring justice about in our own wisdom and strength. We see this happen all the time. We want God’s Kingdom without the King. Look at some of the public policies being proposed when it comes to the environment, policing, education, social policy, economic reform, etc. If you take a step back and think about it from a biblical perspective these policies sound a lot like heaven. Equal treatment for all. Equal justice for all. Equal access for all. Resource-sharing for all. No one left behind. Creation care. No need for any police. Surely all of us can affirm the hopes and dreams behind these aims? But the human heart is deeply corrupt so even our best intentions get derailed by selfishness and greed. The best policy formations create opportunities for the less scrupulous among us who take advantage of loopholes to abuse the system. We just can’t win for losing which is why we must turn to God. Only He can reform the human heart. Only He can reform the broken human systems of our world.
Thankfully, that’s just what God promises to do! If we humbly walk before God. If we commit ourselves to love kindness and mercy. If we passionately pursue justice. God will hear us and forgive us and heal our land. Listen to how Micah ends his prophecy…“Where is the god who can compare with you— wiping the slate clean of guilt, turning a blind eye, a deaf ear, to the past sins of your purged and precious people? You don’t nurse your anger and don’t stay angry long, for mercy is your specialty. That’s what you love most. And compassion is on its way to us. You’ll stamp out our wrongdoing. You’ll sink our sins to the bottom of the ocean. You’ll stay true to your word to Father Jacob and continue the compassion you showed Grandfather Abraham— Everything you promised our ancestors from a long time ago.” (Micah 7:18-20 MSG) How amazing is our God? His love is steadfast! His faithfulness never ends! His mercies are new every morning! He is our only hope in this world and the world to come.
Readings for tomorrow: 2 Kings 16-17, 2 Chronicles 28