What the Lord Requires

Here's a famous verse. It's so famous that they made a praise song out of it.

He hath shown 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)

It's popular because it's so clear. "What does the Lord require of me?" There it is. It's popular because it is a clear call for Christians to be deeply involved in "social justice". And ... oh, wait ... you're going to disagree? With clear Scripture?? You see, there is a problem here. Like the term, "social justice", we have leapt on an idea without defining what we're saying. Yes, we are to "do justly", but what does that mean? I mean, some define "unjust" as "anyone who has more money than I do" or some such ridiculous notion. No, we can't just use a term without understanding what it means. So perhaps we ought to look closer since it's what the Lord requires.

First, what is in view? What set up this statement in the first place?

With what shall I come to the LORD and bow myself before the God on high? Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings, with yearling calves? Does the LORD take delight in thousands of rams, in ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my rebellious acts, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? (Micah 6:6-7)

The text begins with a serious and very good question. "With what shall I come to the Lord?" You see, there's a problem, and we know it. Things are not right between us and God. We're in trouble. So, the question is correct. What do I have to do to make things right? And then the question goes awry. "Burnt offerings?" Well, no. "A thousand rams or a thousand rivers of oil?" Um, really, no. "Oh, I know, I'll give God my firstborn!" No, no, a thousand times, no. You see, we're not getting it. There is nothing we can bring to make us right with God.

What does God want? He wants us to be right. He wants us to do what is good. It is not better to do first and then ask forgiveness. It's better to do good.

None of this clears up the question. And there is a question. Why? Well, because at face value it is a contradiction. We are to 1) do justly and 2) love mercy. Fine. But, as it turns out, mercy is a contradiction to justice. Mercy is not getting what we justly deserve. So if we're talking about "justice" here, we're talking about a contradiction. "Do justice and don't do justice."

Is there something else in the text that will help us here? Indeed.

Is there yet a man in the wicked house, along with treasures of wickedness and a short measure that is cursed? Can I justify wicked scales and a bag of deceptive weights? For the rich men of the city are full of violence, her residents speak lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth (Micah 6:10-12).

Treat people properly. Don't treat them unfairly. Be fair. Render to others what they are due. Oppress no one. Don't steal from them or deceive them. On the other hand, love mercy. When you are robbed or treated unfairly or deceived, don't respond with the same. Show mercy. Treat others fairly, but don't complain when you're not.

And, of course, all of this is covered in an overall attitude of humility in the presence of God. "Walk humbly with God." You see, treating others fairly and loving doing good to others is not something that's going to earn you God's favor. There is no room for pride in it. Walk humbly with God.

Does that make it perhaps a little clearer? I would say it's not the smackdown verse that proves that the point of Christianity is to equalize everyone's social status. It isn't the proof-positive text that demonstrates that we're supposed to be engaged in the redistribution of wealth. On the other hand, it does say that we're supposed to love doing good to others and to be sure to treat others fairly. We are clear that "whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?" (1 John 3:17). So don't see this text as the right to ignore the need to "do good to all people" as long as we remember that this includes "especially to those who are of the household of the faith" (Gal 6:10).