“He has shown you, O man, what is good. What does Yahweh require of you, but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” — Micah 6:8
In the above verse, we see that the Prophet Micah was inspired by the Father to write down what it is that the Creator requires of His children. There are three main points in this verse, namely:
- Act justly
- Love mercy
- Walk humbly with Yahweh
One might say that with a short list of this nature, it would be easy to follow, that perhaps it would be too easy. We know, however, that Yeshua said that being one of his followers comes with a price. The Bride of Messiah suffers with their Groom, the Messiah. Those who put their faith in Yeshua’s teachings and believe in the work he did for the remnant, for Israel and for the world, will be persecuted. In the Gospel of John we read where Yeshua said: “If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you.” (15:20, Murdock) So, with this being said, does it make sense that those who follow Yeshua would have an easy road to walk? The answer to that question is an emphatic No! Recall that Yeshua himself taught his disciples that “small is the gate and straitened is the way that leads to life, and it is few who find it.” (Matthew 7:14)
If all that our Heavenly Father requires of us on our journey is to be just, practice mercy and to walk in humility with Him, would it not be reasonable to think that those three requirements is just the beginning? In fact, that is exactly what a person must do. In order to approach the Creator in true worship, we must know how to practice justice toward others. We must show mercy to those who have erred against us and against our faith. And lastly, the third point tells us that we have to live a life of humility. All three of these points are taught by Yeshua Mshikha in the New Covenant Scriptures. These particular points show us what the requirements are for believers to begin their journey in the Light of Yahweh through His Son Yeshua.
To be just means to practice righteousness and to be fair to others. The two go hand in hand, but this is summed up in the phrase “act justly.” The Apostle James tells us that true worship also includes visiting the fatherless (orphans), taking care of widows in their times of trials and remaining without spot from the world. He said that these things are considered “service that is pure and holy before God the Father” (James 1:27)
To love mercy is to practice loving kindness towards others, regardless of their particular lot in life. It doesn’t matter if someone is black, white, yellow or any other color. It doesn’t matter if someone is a man or a woman, what particular nationality or religious beliefs they hold to. Regardless of those individual traits, we must practice mercy toward them because, like the Father, He loves all of His creation. Like the Son of God, we have mercy for others.
To walk humbly with our God Yahweh is to accept the lot in life that we currently hold. We must be grateful for what we have, whether our treasure is great or small, it is all a gift from the Father of lights. St. James the Righteous tells us that “every good and perfect gift comes down from above, from the Father of lights, with whom there is no change, not even a shadow of variation.” (James 1:17) Additionally, we read: “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, and bless his name.” (Psalm 100:4) To be humble is to live a life of true humility which means praying for the will of the Father to replace that of our own will. (Luke 22:42) It means to accept the changes that God is making in our lives by our being receptive to the whisper of the Holy Spirit who guides us in the truth. It means walking like Yeshua did, with the intention to be obedient to the Father at all times.
As we contemplate on these three requirements of our Heavenly Father, we can see that they really are just the beginning of our journey.
If at any time you struggle with faithfully observing these requirements, ask the Father and Yeshua to send the Holy Spirit to give you guidance in the matter. (John 14:14-18) Ask for guidance from other brothers and sisters who are mature in the faith, who have walked in the faith for several years, who are seasoned in good times and in bad times, as they have served Yahweh faithfully. Help is there for each of us who wish to be obedient to the Father’s requirements.