Do Justice and Love Mercy
Scripture Reading — Micah 6:6-8
What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
The prophet Micah spoke out for the Lord against the unjust practices of his day.
He pictured people asking how they might please God with offerings in order to pay for their sins: “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 you practice injustice, it doesn’t matter how much you sacrifice to God. The Lord calls you to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with him! Then you may bring your offerings and find favor with God.
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 neighbor rather than scheming up ways to make them your slaves. Find ways to relieve poverty rather than profiting from it.
At the college where I serve as a campus minister, foreign students often struggle financially. But many of them have been embraced by local churches. On Monday mornings when they come to school, they often tell me with beaming faces how their church communities have blessed them on Sunday. God smiles along with these students as he sees his people showing love and mercy.
We love you, merciful God. Teach us to love by showing mercy to others. Guide us to act with justice each day for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
About the author — George Koopmans
George Koopmans has served as an ecumenical chaplain at Medicine Hat College in Medicine Hat, Alberta, since November 2021. Prior to entering into chaplaincy, George served as a pastor to two congregations—one in Minnesota (Luverne), and the other in Medicine Hat. George and his wife, Emily, have four adult daughters and three grandchildren. Hiking, biking, and birdwatching are his favorite hobbies.
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