Posted by Helen on: 07.03.2006 /
There’s a Bible verse which addresses the question: What does God require of humans?
The verse gives this answer (this is my summary/ paraphrase): justice, kindness and humility.
Here’s the verse in an accepted English translation: Micah 6:8
- Are justice, kindness and humility values of yours?
- What do these look like in practice?
- Have you heard this verse before?
- In your experience, do Bible believers emphasize this verse enough compared to other parts of the Bible?
- Did I omit anything important or distort the verse’s meaning by summarizing its answer as ‘justice, kindness and humility’?
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8 Responses to "Justice, Kindness and Humility"
Comment by: Julie Marie
1I’ve had lots of churching, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard this verse. I sort of knew Micah wasn’t in the NT, but had to check to be sure.
Thats a shame. I’ve been bludgeoned with the great commission (but, imo, a perversion of the great commission insofar as there is a difference between belief and discipleship. I mean, really…even satan believes in God.)
My translation uses the word mercy rather than kindness. When I think about kindness, I think about patience, gentleness, and self control. When I think about mercy, I think about forgiveness as well. So I do think you left an important, if nuanced, meaning out of your summary.
Right now, for me, trying to live out these expectations, justice would mean standing up and speaking for atheist/humanist/gay “rights” when I have a chance. I would show kindness by patiently clarifying exactly what is being asked and why, and I could demonstrate humility by not getting shrill when my just, kind position is rejected. *sigh* Then I get to remember patience…a seed has been planted, and if I am kind and humble in how I do it, it will be remembered by my friends the next time the issue arises in their lives. Like maybe the next time they hear some bloviating radio personality boiling over about the attacks on christians/christmas/theamericanwayoflife.
Comment by: Helen M.
2Awesome comments, Julie Marie!
Thanks for pointing out that forgiveness is encompassed by the word my translation renders as ‘kindness’, since yours renders it ‘mercy’. I didn’t intentionally omit the concept of forgiveness. I do prefer the word ‘kindness’ to ‘mercy’. Kindness is a down to earth word, in common use outside the church, ‘ describing something I highly value. Mercy sounds too much like Christianese to me - it’s not a word I hear outside the church much. And it reminds me too much of the doctrine of total depravity i.e. God had mercy on people who didn’t deserve it.
Julie Marie, evidently you don’t have the same negative reaction I do to the word ‘mercy’ - I’m happy for you!
I find it ironic how easily our justice and kindness can go right out of the window when those attributes are not sufficiently appreciated by others! ;-)
Comment by: Julie marie
3I thought about the “Christianese” involved in mercy as well…but no, it doesn’t have the same negative baggage for me as it could for some. I certainly understand how that word might strike a discordant note. Kindness is less of a red flag word. It makes sense to use it on a blog targeted to atheists as well as christians.
Comment by: NCxian
4There is a great book called Faith Works, by Jim Wallis, that applies the justice, mercy/kindness, humility thing to today. I’m thinking you both would like it, Julie Marie and Helen. And I know that neither of you have anything else to read. . . . (where are those ding-dang emoticons when you need them!)
Comment by: Helen M.
5Thanks for the book recommendation, NCxian. Of course you’re right - I have nothing else to read right now… ;)
Comment by: Julie Marie
6I just started reading a different Jim Wallis book, God’s Politics.
Comment by: NCxian
7I have that God’s Politics on my wishlist at Amazon. (And a birthday coming up!)
I dearly love the way Jim Wallis thinks. He does, however, present me with a dilemna. I think that I am an absolutist about the separation of Church and State. Then he tells me I should care a great deal about politics. Sometimes I can make sense of how I can do both, sometimes I can’t.
It’s like the way I feel about war–seriously pacificist on the one hand. Then on the other hand, I think we should not be isolationists so we should intervene elsewhere when weak people are exploited.
Comment by: Julie marie
8I struggle with these two areas two. I intend to explore the tension in a few posts next week.