Micah 6:8 “No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy,and to walk humbly with your God.”

Every once in a while, even prophets said things so simply, so clearly, that nobody could mistake the message. The Lord has told you what is good and what he requires of you. Micah then proceeds to list three things. To do what is right was the first. In the Old Testament, the Ten Commandments made this a pretty black and white issue. He told them to walk humbly with God. Humility was a real problem with the children of Israel (and not too small a problem today either). To walk humbly was to give God the honor he is due and to make yourself of use to him. Sometimes his children become stiff-necked and prideful. This is not good and it flies in the face of what our Heavenly Father expects. Finally, they were to love mercy. Now he wasn’t speaking about the mercy showed them by God. Of course they would love mercy when they are the ones who are getting “off the hook”! No, God requires his children to demonstrate mercy towards one another as he does towards us. You show yourself your Father’s child by exhibiting his character traits. It is not only good to do – it is what he requires of you.

Pray: “Lord God, you have told me that you require me to love mercy, to show it to others as you have shown it to me. Although this is hard for the human part of me, I know through the power of your spirit that lives in me I am able to demonstrate towards others the mercy you have shown me – just like I can love the way you love by the same spirit. Help me, I pray, to tap into this spiritual well of mercy when those around me need it. In Jesus’ name – Amen.”