He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To begin with, it helps to understand what Micah 6:8 means. One thing is clear and true about this verse is the language. God is literally saying I have shown you what it is to do. You have no excuses.

The Lord desires that you act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with Him, as stated in Micah 6:8. This verse is often called the “Micah Mandate,” it emphasizes that God is not primarily concerned with outward rituals or sacrifices, but with inner character and righteous living.

Act Justly: simply means being fair and honest in all your dealings, treating everyone equally, and upholding moral principles even when it is not popular. That can easily be interpreted as treating everyone poorly, or treating the poor terribly. Which is what we are seeing today.

Love Mercy: involves showing compassion and kindness, especially towards those who are less fortunately or in need, and responding with understanding and empathy.

Walk Humbly with God: signifies recognizing that your position and blessings are a gift from God, not a result of your own merit, and living in a way that acknowledges His authority and grace.

Although God was speaking to Israel, it applies to us also. Before I attended seminary, I saw no real reason to read the Old Testament. I figured I could learn everything I needed to know from the Apostle Paul. I soon learned that I was wrong. What led up to Paul making the changes that he made?

Little did I know, without understanding what happened before has a lot to do with what is happening now. Clearly there was a problem or it would not be a need to address now. History as many would agree repeats itself. If you are not aware of the past and make no changes, it will continue to repeat itself.

Every accident I have been involved in has occurred when I got angry about something that was simple and avoidable. The first one was caused by getting angry because I did not know the location where I was going and the person that I was taking did not either.

I expected the person that I was taking to the doctor to know all of the ins and outs of where we were going. I missed a convenient turn. I knew ahead of time that I was taking them. I should have pressed them for the address and given myself more time for errors. Afterall, the person was ill. That is why I was driving them.

Most human conflict such as shattered marriages, and ruined friendships are likely rooted in some form of unmanaged anger. Selfishness and power plays, unresolved misunderstandings, slights and counter-aggression are sometimes the culprit.

Yet Ecclesiastes offers wisdom, “Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools” (7:9). It is foolish to have a short fuse and be easily provoked to anger, especially when God offers a better way—perhaps through “the rebuke of a wise person” (v.5).

Pursuing wisdom, we can “let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts” (Colossians 3:5). We can live in wisdom and forgiveness as He helps us. So instead of getting angry when the driver crosses four lanes on I-285 to make their exit, I thank God that I was not hit. Prayer works.

When I was being taught how to drive, I remember the words I was taught over fifty years ago. “When you get behind the wheel of a car, you have to drive for yourself and every one around you.”

Expect others to do the worse, after all, you are the best driver.  Before you left home, in that prayer you should have prayed for travelling mercies and for everyone you encountered.

Do not let the person behind you dictate a risky move. If you get hit or hit someone else, you do not get a free “get out of jail” ticket by telling the judge the person behind you were blowing their horn.”

Saved by grace. The Christian religion deals with people who are lacking in spiritual character and who live unholy lives. It aims to change them so that they can become holy in heart and righteous in life.

Prayer is the vehicle that enters and demonstrates its wonderful ability and fruit. Prayer drives one towards this specific end. In fact, without prayer, no change in moral character is ever possible. This marvelous change is brought to pass through earnest, persistent, faithful prayer.

Any assumed form of Christianity that does not cause this change in the hearts of people is a delusion and a farse. First, Jesus saw the crowds with their hunger and helpless condition; then he felt compassion that moved him to pray for the crowds.

Hard is the person, and far from being Christlike, who sees the multitudes but is unmoved at the sight of their sad state, their unhappiness, and their distress. He has no heart of prayer for others.

Compassion may not always move people, but it should always move towards others. And where it is most helpless to relieve the needs of others, it can at least pray earnestly to God for other people.

True prayer links itself to the will of God and runs in streams of compassion and intercession for all people.  So, one might ask, does God listen to a sinner’s prayer? The prayer of repentance is surely acceptable to God. He delights in hearing the cries of remorseful sinners.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus, Romans 3:23-24. But repentance involves not only sorrow for sin, but turning away from wrongdoing and learning to do good.

True repentance produces a change in character and behavior.

There are so many things that I know, but I know that there are so many things that I do not know. I know what my wife is doing, but I do not know what she is thinking. I know I should always pray, but I do not know what is more important. That is ok, the Holy Spirit will tweak my prayers.

We are not fitting to go to God. He draws us to Him. In John 6:44 Jesus says, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.” People respond in faith because God draws them.

My eighth-grade teacher/librarian, Ms. Louise Y. Cureton taught us, “To be intelligent does not mean you have to know everything, just know where to find it.”

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

1. God works. The gospel singer says, “He is an all-time God, yes, He is. He might not come when you want Him but He is always right on time. He is not sitting on His throne waiting for the time to make you suffer. He is constantly waiting with open arms.
2. God works for the good. He is not trying to trip you up like some gods. Not for your comfort or pleasure, but for ultimate good. He does not put a band-aid on the issue and leave you wondering when you are going to be restored.
3. God works for the good of those who love him. Make a covenant relationship with Him. Working on becoming a better person. Introducing others to this great relationship that you have found with your Savior.
4. God works in all things. God is all-inclusive He works, not through a few things or through the good things, best things, or easy things but in all things. He can fix what is broken in your life. He can restore your life and lost relationship that has been broken for longer than you can remember.

“May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.” – Jude 1:2

To comfort a friend, is to actively listen to their concerns, validate their feelings, offer practical help, and encourage them to seek professional help if it is beyond your scope of handling, while also showing empathy and reassurance.

You’re to listen without interruption. Let them express themselves fully without judgment. Validate their feelings and acknowledge that their emotions are valid, even if you don’t fully understand the situation. You’re not there to offer a quick fix and be on your way.

Offer practical support. Ask what you can do Instead of assuming. Ask them what kind of support they need? Offer specific help. Suggest concrete actions like making dinner, running errands, or helping with a project. Make time for them, schedule regular check-ins or activities to show you’re there for them.

Encourage self-care. Suggest activities that can help them relax and de-stress, like taking a bath, reading a book, or whatever they enjoy doing. Remind them to seek professional help If their situation is serious or they’re struggling to cope. Encourage them to reach out to a therapist, counselor, or chaplain. Confidential none judgmental sources.

Express your concern, let them know that you care about them and their well-being. Remind them that they’re not alone. Share your own experiences If appropriate. Share a time when you went through a similar situation and how you coped. Be patient and allow your friend time to process.

You’re really not dealing with their feelings if you’re trying to do any one of these three things, distract, condemn or criticize their behavior, or tell them how to behave. You’re trying to support your friend. Research says that you want to steer clear of advice most of the time unless you are an expert in that field.  

The Bible emphasizes the importance of comforting others, especially friends, by encouraging mutual support, offering words of encouragement, and actively helping those in need.

Scripture tells us that when Job experienced the devasting loss of his children, and afflicted with painful sores on his entire body, it was overwhelming. Three of his friends went to comfort him. They began to weep loudly, tore their robes, and sprinkled dust on their heads. Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him (Job 2:12-13).

In the next few chapters, when they opened their mouths to speak, they began to give him poor advice. Research further states that sometimes the best thing to do is show up. Be quiet, after you have said, “I am here for you.” Why is that, because you can make things worse by saying the wrong thing.

Belonging is a fundamental human need, a feeling of being accepted, included, and valued as part of a group or community, leading to a sense of security and connection. Belonging is more than just being present or acquainted; it’s about feeling a strong connection and a sense of being part of something larger than one’s self.

A sense of belonging is crucial for mental and physical well-being, fostering resilience, reducing stress, and promoting overall happiness. In social psychology, the need to belong is an intrinsic motivation to affiliate with others and be socially accepted, influencing social interactions and behaviors.

The consequences of a lack of belonging can lead to negative consequences, including lower self-esteem, increased stress, anxiety, depression, and even suicide. Try as you may, you cannot fulfill this need by just having four thousand, or four million followers on your favorite media platform. 

The late/s Jerry Butler, “The Iceman,”1963, written by Curtis Mayfield, said it best in this song, A man needs to belong to someone; “It hurts to be known as no one. I want to be kissed, and held tight, I want to be missed on a cold and lonely night. Someone please hear my plea and call out to me. I need to belong to someone.” 

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: Maslow’s theory places the need for belonging and love as a fundamental social need, essential for human flourishing. Belonging can be found in various contexts, such as family, friendships, work, religious groups, or community organizations.

A sense of belonging at work is rooted in being seen for unique contributions, feeling connected to coworkers, being supported in daily work and career development, and being proud of the organization’s values and purpose.

“It is not good that the man/woman should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him,” indicating that God designed humans to be in relationship (Genesis 2:18). The Bible reveals that God desires a personal relationship with humanity, and that this relationship is the foundation for belonging and flourishing.

The concept of the church as a family, where people find belonging and support, is a key theme in the New Testament. Jesus emphasizes the importance of love for one another, stating that people will know we are his disciples by our love for each other.

I (emphasize) do not believe one can be a Christan by themselves. It is such a good feeling that one would want to share it with everyone they know.