With what shall I come before the Lord? (Mic. 6:6)
SOMETIMES IT’S HARD to know what’s expected of us. Perhaps we’ve been given an unclear work assignment, or maybe we’re working with someone whose expectations are too demanding or constantly changing. Working with unclear, unrealistic, or constantly changing expectations can be a source of major frustration. Unfortunately, many people come to the Bible with a confused or distorted understanding of what Jesus requires of us.
Judging by their actions, the leaders of Israel in Micah’s day were terribly confused about what God expected of them, although the fault was entirely their own. They seem to have thought that as long as they kept the sacrifices flowing through the temple it didn’t matter much to God how they exercised their leadership over His people. But Micah told them that, actually, God had been quite clear about His expectations for Israel’s leaders, and they could be summed up in three simple commands: to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly before God.
These requirements sound quite a bit like the way Jesus summarized the law of God for His generation (and ours): to love God and love your neighbor. Following Christ is not so much about what you’re willing to give to God but whether you’re willing for Him to pour His love into your heart so that it overflows to those around you. That is an acceptable sacrifice.
Pursue justice, mercy, and humility in all your relationships.
Kevin Scott is a member of the pastoral staff at Stephen Ministries, where he serves as a writer, teacher, and leader and is the author of ReCreatable.
