Have you ever asked the question "What does God require from me?" Thinking about that answer can sometimes feel overwhelming. There are so many things that we "think" God requires from us such as, doing a lot of church work, doing a certain number of "good deeds", extreme sacrifices in our lives, always doing everything perfect, spending lengthy hours in meditation, or reading our bible from Genesis to Revelation every year. With that kind of a list we can definitely feel overwhelmed. What if our idea of what God requires from us, and His requirements of us are not the same lengthy list at all, but just 3 things? Micah 6:8 specifically tells what God requires from us:
"He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you except to be just, and to love and diligently practice kindness and compassion, and to walk humbly with your God, setting aside any sense of self-importance or self-righteousness.”
God is just, which means He is always fair, and He works to make wrong things right. We should treat people justly and work to see justice is done in their lives. Many people have been terribly mistreated and abused. As God's representatives we have the opportunity to tell them of what Jesus Christ died to give them, life, everlasting life. We can help to restore them to the knowledge of God and His love for them, as well as bring aid and help to them in their current situation.
God is also merciful and kind, so therefore we should be merciful and kind toward others. The world pressures people to be and act perfectly that is the opposite of what God does. God loves and accepts. Romans 2:4 states that "it is the kindness of God, not the judgement of God, that leads people to repentance". Our job is to not be fault finders, but to give mercy and compassion to others, just as God showed us mercy and compassion.
Finally, we are to walk in humility with God. We all know how it feels for someone to look down on us as if we just don't quite measure up. The attitude of our heart and mind towards others and ourselves should always be focused on humility. The bible states that "everyone has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God"; therefore no one is above anyone else. A disrespectful attitude and harsh behavior towards others are what results from lack of humility in our walk with God. It also causes hurt feelings and anger between us and other people.
We should all strive to give God what He truly requires, which is to act justly towards each other, love kindness, and walk humbly with Him. Amen