Scripture: Micah 6:8 (NRSV)
“He has told you, O mortal, 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?”
Reflection:
Micah’s words are often used as a gentle summary of faith, but they are anything but gentle. ‘Do justice’ is not a call to politeness; it is a call to alignment. Justice urges us to live in ways that reflect God’s concern for the vulnerable, even when it disturbs our comfort.
Doing justice costs something because it requires truth-telling. It means refusing to look away. It means calling things by their real names. Loving kindness costs something because compassion drains us when the pain feels relentless. It asks us to stay tender in a world that tempts us toward cynicism. Walking humbly costs something because it asks us to release certainty and control—to listen to voices we’ve ignored and allow our understanding of faithfulness to be challenged.
In times like these—when violence, fear, and dehumanization seem endless—faith is often tempted to retreat into neutrality. We convince ourselves that staying uninvolved is wise. But Micah speaks to a moment when people went through the motions of religion while ignoring suffering all around them.
Faith that shows up refuses the lie that love can stay passive. Justice isn’t about perfection; it’s about participation.
Practice:
Today, resist the urge to minimize the pain you observe. When injustice appears—whether locally or globally—pause and honestly acknowledge it before God instead of rationalizing it away.
Journaling Prompt:
Where do you tend to confuse comfort with faithfulness? What does justice require of you right now?
Prayer:
God of justice and mercy,
please give us the courage to live in alignment with love,
even when it comes at a real cost.
Teach us to prioritize faithfulness over convenience.
Amen.