July 17th, 2021: Justice, Kindness and Humility


One of the verses that remind me about what it means to live a Christian Life is from Micah 6: 8:

"He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"

The question is what God asks of us. We learn that there are three aspects of walking with God.

To do justice: we cannot be just if we can only think about ourselves and consider ourselves before others. To do justice is to love others as God loves us. It is unconditional and sacrificial love. There is no room for condemning others while calling for justice. Self-pity and victimization have no room in living a just life. We cannot think about justice without the acknowledgment of our sinful condition. Seeking justice in life is to search for solutions for human brokenness.

To love kindness: kindness is the condition of our hearts that overcomes personal offense and anger towards others. Sometimes the absence of kindness is rooted in self-hatred. When we can embrace God's kindness, our hearts and minds will long for the safety and the well-being of others. Kindness is the bond between two people that is impossible to break. Kindness brings healing and comfort to those who suffer. Kindness is not niceness because it is the outcome of sincerity.

To walk humbly with our God: that is when we learn how to become less and less so that God will become more and more in our lives. It has nothing to deal with not appreciating oneself. It is about learning how to acknowledge who we are in God and how we are with one another. Humility is powerful because it lifts other people up. It provides the sense of belonging that we need in our society today. We gain new freedom when we learn how to walk humbly with God.

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