The Outsiders | Walking Humbly with God

He has told you, human one, what is good and what the Lord requires from you: to do justice, embrace faithful love, and walk humbly with your God. 

Micah 6:8 (Common English Bible)

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; don't rely on your own intelligence. Know him in all your paths, and he will make your ways straight. 

Proverbs 3:5-6 (Common English Bible)

Of the three things God requires – justice, mercy, and humility – walking humbly might be the hardest. Because justice and mercy at least feel like things we can do. We can pursue justice by standing up for people who've been pushed to the margins. We can show mercy by extending grace to people who are hurting. These are actions we can take, goals we can work toward, outcomes we can measure.

But walking humbly? That's different. That's not about doing more. It's about releasing control. It's about recognizing that we're not in charge, that we don't have God figured out, and that God might be working in places we never expected, and through people we never would've chosen.

Walking humbly means we have to follow God instead of trying to control God. It means we have to let go of our insistence on understanding everything. It means we have to acknowledge that our ways are not God's ways and our thoughts are not God's thoughts.

And we hate this. We want to be in control. We want to understand how everything works. We want to predict where God will show up and how God will work. We want God to fit into our categories and meet our expectations.

But walking humbly means releasing all of that. It means trusting God even when we don't understand. It means following God even when the path doesn't make sense. It means being open to God working in ways we never imagined.

This is what we've been seeing throughout this entire series. God invited foreign priests to worship Jesus when we would have invited religious insiders. God stepped into the water with sinners when we would have maintained a safe distance. God called fishermen and tax collectors when we would have chosen qualified students. God started Jesus' ministry in Galilee when we would have started in Jerusalem.

Over and over, God has worked in unexpected ways, in unexpected places, through unexpected people. And every time, it challenges our assumptions about how God should work. Every time, it requires us to walk humbly instead of insisting we know better than God.

This week, we've explored what God actually requires from us. We've seen that God wants justice, mercy, and humility more than religious performance. We've confronted the ways we substitute activities for obedience. We've examined what biblical justice really means and what real mercy costs.

But it all comes down to this: Are we willing to actually do what God requires? Not just know it. Not just agree with it. Actually do it.

Are we willing to pursue justice even when it costs us something? Are we willing to show mercy even when people haven't earned it? Are we willing to walk humbly even when we want to be in control?

Because knowing isn't enough. Agreeing isn't enough. Performing religious activities isn't enough. God requires us to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly. Not as suggestions. Not as ideals we aspire to. As requirements for following God.

But we can't do this in our own strength. We can't manufacture justice, mercy, and humility through sheer willpower. We need God's help. We need God's grace. We need God's Spirit working in us and through us.

But we also can't use that as an excuse for inaction. We can't say, "Well, I can't do it perfectly, so I won't do anything." We have to start. We have to take steps. We have to actually do what God requires instead of just thinking about it or praying about it or performing religious activities that make us feel spiritual while avoiding the hard work.

God has told us what is good. God has shown us what he requires. The only question is whether we're willing to actually do it.

Prayer:

God, you've made it clear what you require from us: justice, mercy, and humility. Not religious performance. Not activities that make us feel spiritual. Justice, mercy, and humility. Forgive us for substituting what's easy for what you actually require. Give us courage to pursue justice even when it costs us something. Give us compassion to show mercy even when people haven't earned it. Give us humility to follow you even when we want control. We can't do this in our own strength, so we need your help. But we also can't use that as an excuse for inaction. Help us actually do what you require. Help us be people of justice, mercy, and humility. Help us follow you faithfully. Amen.