Micah 6:8

“Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.”

This is one of many of my favorite verses from the Bible. I think that as a social worker and an African American living in our country, this verse is close to my heart.   I’d like to reflect on each component of this verse. 

Justice: Webster defines it as the administration of the law, the quality of being fair, or the principle of just dealing. My concordance states: to act righteously, equitably and morally right. I’ve always loved the imagery of justice from Amos 5:24, “But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” Because of my experience with injustice, I incorporate the principles in my own walk for justice. For me, it is a call to action to speak up and out for those who are disenfranchised or oppressed; those who do not have a voice. Before retirement, I advocated for the educational rights for those students with disabilities, ensuring that they received justice in the process of decisions made regarding the special education programs.  I also worked to empower the parents/caregivers of these students.  Now, I volunteer at a camp for adults with disabilities and serve on the Peace with Justice and LGBTQ ministries at church.   Think about the people in your own community who might feel like outsiders and feel threatened in some way because of their culture, race or religion, gender identity or sexual orientation.    The action you take could be speaking out, writing letters, volunteering to advocate for others who cannot advocate for themselves or educating yourself about a group of whom you are unfamiliar.  

Love Mercy: Mercy is defined as compassion or forbearance shown especially to an offender or to one subject to one’s power; lenient or compassionate treatment. This concept speaks to me when seeing fellow humans who are without housing, food or clothing, the basic human needs.  How many times have you seen a person on the street asking for help for money or for food?  It’s easy to drive or walk by the person ignoring them, it can be a little scary.  I choose to donate to our church food pantry and occasionally I will offer to buy someone a meal.  Look for and identify ways you feel you can assist.

Walk humbly with God: Humbly is defined as behaving in a way that is modest or unpretentious; without arrogance.  Here I see that I am to acknowledge my standing with God; that there is a respectable distance in honoring God’s omnipotence while trying to do what God expects of me toward my fellow man. 

Let’s use this Lenten season to reflect on this verse and find one piece of it that challenges us to step out and up for someone else.