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Middle East
 The text from Micah 6:8, “Do justice, love kindness, walk humbly with your God,” is frequently used as a basis for preaching, and for good reason: it is a golden text, clear, concise, and compelling! It conveniently offers the classic three-point sermon outline.
In a world in which grave injustice and much unkindness exist, there is no shortage of inspiration to do justice and show kindness. But what about humility — in particular, walking humbly with God? Is it not much easier to be an activist for justice and to pride oneself on acts of kindness being a daily habit? Humility — with God — is a challenge of a different sort.
Social mores and cultural codes of everyday life in the Middle East suggest some patterns that illustrate and illuminate this concept of “walking humbly.” Two persons approach a door, each of them defers to the other to go first. When accompanying a person of stature, one’s senior or one to be accorded extra respect, one walks a half step behind. Upon entering a sacred space—a place of worship, or even a home of someone not to be treated with too much familiarity — one removes one’s shoes. Isn’t that what Moses did when he stood on sacred ground?
Ancient Israel received plenty of commandments about doing justice and about loving and demonstrating kindness, and for the most part obeyed them. In successive generations, Israel’s descendants strove to adhere so strictly to those commandments that they added more commandments — they created a hedge around a commandment, so to speak, to ensure that the original commandments were not violated. Thus, codes were developed for sacrifices, tithes, offerings, and other ritual obligations, and were closely observed.
Micah’s acknowledgment of the proliferation of obligations imposed on God’s people by religious authorities prompts him to ask, “With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high?” Micah recalls the ancient hymn, “For you have no delight in sacrifice; if I were to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased. The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart” (Ps. 51:16–17). A broken spirit, a contrite heart — walking humbly with God — that is what pleases God.
Memorable words in a sermon by the renowned, early twentieth-century Presbyterian preacher Peter Marshall offered a personal, yet universal, confession. He said, “It is not that I don’t know the will of God; I know it all too well. My problem is doing it. Isn’t it yours?”
In his heart, Micah knew what is right and good and pleasing in God’s sight. Adam and Eve knew. Isaiah knew. The apostle Paul knew. Today’s leaders of governments know. In my heart, I know — because the Lord “has shown you, O mortal, what is good.” There is no guesswork. We know: God has shown us what is required.
And what does the Lord require of us? It is disturbingly simple, direct, and profoundly unequivocal: do justice, love kindness, walk humbly — with God.
—Rev. Victor E. Makari, area coordinator, Office for the Middle East and Asia Minor, and coordinator, Jinishian Memorial Program, General Assembly Mission Council
Partners/Ministries
The Middle East Council of Churches: Mr. Guirguis Saleh, general secretary
The Fellowship of Middle East Evangelical Churches: Mrs. Roseangela Jarjour, general secretary
The Arab Group for Christian-Muslim Relations and Dialogue: Rev. Dr. Riad Jarjour, general secretary
Protestant Church of Algiers [Algeria]
PC(USA) General Assembly Staff
Liz Valle-Ruiz, GAMC
Gloria Van Dyke, FDN
Rev. Jerry Van Marter, GAMC
Good and gracious God, we confess that in our zeal to please you we may make our own additions to what you require. Remind us of what is important and focus our hearts to do these things. Amen.
Ps. 50, 147:1–11 Ps. 53, 17
Amos 3:12–4:5
2 Peter 3:1–10; Matt. 21:23–32
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