Do Justly. Love Mercy.

“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” - Micah 6:8

This verse has a concise message, yet so powerful. It clearly displays how God intends for us to spend our time on earth.  As we are in the beginning of a new year, I find this verse both helpful and challenging. It is a reminder to me to live on purpose. 

I’m sure many of you have heard the phrase “do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly.” It’s on Hobby Lobby signs, t-shirts, and coffee mugs. However, even though we have heard it - do we truly understand what it means? We may even understand it, but living it out seems more complicated.

1. Act Justly 

The word “justice” means doing what is right. Justice involves integrity. Acting justly requires acknowledging what is right and wrong, and taking action. Standing up for what is right takes courage and strength. It is often hard to discern what is fair in our sinful world. 

However, Jeremiah 31:33 says, “After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.” God has written his law upon our hearts to help us act justly. He ultimately desires for us to be righteous, for he is holy. God is just, and he has given us the Holy Spirit to help us determine what is wrong.

For me, acting justly simply means treating others the way I want to be treated. 

2.  Love Mercy 

It seems a little odd that this phrase “love mercy” is after acting justly. Mercy is the exact opposite of justice.  It is an act of compassion and grace. Mercy is getting what you don’t deserve, which is far from fairness.  God desires for us to be merciful to others. Matthew 5:7 says, “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.” I believe God means for us to have forgiving hearts, even when others do us wrong. God doesn’t want us to get so caught up in being “fair”  that we forget the importance of kindness.  

We are to love the mercy that God showed us on the cross for our sins. God is just, yet he chooses to be merciful to us. There is no one who is worthy of God’s mercy for we all fall short of his glory. It is a gift from our Heavenly Father that He has already paid the price for. 

We are to be merciful, because mercy has been shown to us. 

3. Walk Humbly 

C.S. Lewis once defined humility as, “not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.” For me, humility is putting others before myself. I believe true humility comes from fully following after Christ. Proverbs 22:4 says, "Humility is the fear of the Lord; its wages are riches and honor and life." Humbling yourself before God and others is not always an easy task, however it is so important.  Humility enables us to act justly and to love mercy. It is the key that brings them all together. 

If you are struggling with humility and finding the right balance, I challenge you to study the life of Jesus. We are humbled when we realize the love and mercy that he showed us on Calvary. Humility comes from the constant realization of how much we need Christ in our lives. 

Our lives as Christians are an overflow of what Christ has done for us. He desires that we allow justice, mercy, loving-kindness, and humility to flow out of our hearts.