“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?” — Micah 6:8
All prophets claim authority.
Most prophets are full of courage.
Micah balances authority and courage with a sense of justice,
calling into awareness situations of oppression, unfairness and persecution.
The “Micah mandate” echoes in the heart through the ages.
Do justice. Love kindness. Walk humbly.
I heard a phrase not long ago:
“Moral beauty.”
It was a call to be mindful of those around us
who quietly do good things,
who are profoundly kind,
who are generous without fanfare,
who are courageous in ordinary life.
They possess moral beauty.
They live the Micah way.
Here is a poem. I think it describes the Micah way,
reminding us that justice, an expression of moral beauty,
is lived out in the ordinary and the daily.
It’s called, “You Live.”
“How many fields did you plow,
how many loaves of bread did you bake,
how much seed did you sow,
how many trees did you plant,
how many bricks did you lay,
how many buttons did you sew,
how many patches, how many seams did you make,
to whom did you give your warmth
who would have stumbled but for your support,
whom did you show the way
without demanding gratitude or prize,
what was your offering,
whom did you serve?” – Janusz Korczak
There aren’t numerical answers to the questions in the poems. The poem simply names small, everyday acts of care and service. Which simple acts in your own life might be expressions of justice, kindness, or humble walking with God?
Who have you encountered, recently or over time, whose quiet actions reflect “moral beauty”? Recall them with gratitude. Your gratitude is a fruit of the spirit nourishing the world.
A prayer for us all:
May we journey in the way of Micah
doing justice in quiet, faithful ways,
loving kindness in word and action,
and moving through our days with humble, open hearts.
May we notice the beauty all around,
and trust that even the smallest acts of care
are part of a stream of grace.
And may our lives, in all ordinary and hidden moments,
become living expressions of love.
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