Micah – Micah preached around the same time as Isaiah (750-700 BC), calling Israel and Judah to account for their sins. He especially targets the injustice and corruption among the leaders, priests, and false prophets of the time, but also promises that God will preserve a faithful remnant and bring restoration through the Davidic Messiah. Micah is famous for predicting that Messiah will come from Bethlehem (5:2).
Micah 6:8 is often considered a key verse from the book of Micah: "Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God" A call to action to act with righteousness, compassion, and humility when others are treated unjustly. This important statement answers the questions, “What is it that God wants from us? How much must we sacrifice before God will be happy with us?”
The answer is simple and yet profoundly life-changing: As long as we practice injustice, it doesn’t matter how much we sacrifice to God. The Lord calls us to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with him! It is then that our offerings have a true value.
What Micah seems to be saying is to get rid of your rigged scales. Stop your price gouging. End the practice of driving people into poverty so that you can buy them as servants and slaves. Practice justice. And even more than that—love mercy. Give freely to your poor neighbour rather than scheming up ways to make them your slaves. Find ways to relieve poverty rather than profiting from it.
Give us, Lord, an eye for injustice.
For it is only when are able to recognise injustice and feel its awful sting that we will be moved to make things right.
Give us, Lord, a tender heart.
Sometimes we are too hard-hearted to recognise when we have been uncaring, unfeeling, or unkind.
Grant us, Lord the ability to view life from the dust.
All our lives we have been taught to make others proud, to be proud of ourselves, to hold our heads high -- all the while missing the virtues of being poor in spirit.
Teach us dear Lord, to do justice, love kindness, and to walk humbly with you. Amen.
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