Mayor Gerardo Balmori
The Salvation Army
Introduction:
In our walk as Christians, we need to have a sense of direction where God lead us. The Old
Testament is rich of teachings of Grace and Mercy, preparing the road for the coming of the
Messiah, the fulfillment of the Law, full of Mercy and Love. How can I follow His teachings? What
Does God Wants From Me?
I. DO JUSTLY
Act with fairness, honesty, and integrity. When I thought about Micah’s words about “wealthy
oppressors,” I couldn’t help but reflect on some of the banking practices in our times—practices
which are certainly legal, but which make you wonder. The current going rate in our area for
overdraft fees is $29.00 in most places. One thing that has always made me wonder—when it comes
to charging that fee, they will assess it even if it causes it to show a negative balance. Why not do
that in the first place and contact you to make a deposit?
Okay, enough of my frustration with banks, let’s try another subject. How about donations at the
Salvation Army? Most of the people ask for a receipt that afterwards exaggerates with the amount of
the value of the donated items. Do they “do justly” when it comes to filing the tax returns each year?
Micah mentions also the “short measure” (v. 10) that unscrupulous merchants were using in selling
their goods. There is an old saying, “honesty is the best policy.” But for the Christian, that slogan
should be, “honesty is the ONLY policy.” Because the witness is consistent in all of Scripture that we
are called to be people of fairness and integrity in all our dealings: Psalm 51:6, “You desire truth in
the inward parts”; Proverbs 4:23, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring all the
issues of life”; Matthew 12:34, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” We must settle
it deep in our hearts to be a people of integrity, and be on guard in the battle to “do justly.”
II. LOVE MERCY
We are also to fill our hearts with compassion and kindness toward one another. The Hebrew word
“hesed,” translated as “mercy,” is a rich one, used variously as mercy, tender mercies, loving
kindness, and steadfast love. It is most often used in a covenant sense, involving the attitude of two
parties who are in covenantal relationship with one another. In relation to God’s mercy, it is used
most often of His grace, or of UNEXPECTED kindness. Notice also that the requirement here is not
that we HAVE mercy, but that we are to LOVE mercy. There is a big difference between the two. One
way of describing the difference is to say that we don’t just do acts of kindness from a sense of
obedience or compulsion, but we do them out of love.
Because we have such a merciful God, we are exhorted to have mercy. Jesus said, “Blessed are the
merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7). Peter wrote, “All of you be of one mind, having
compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tender-hearted” (1 Peter 3:8). Mercy is often not
what we would show one another; but it is the only response that makes any sense in light of the
mercy that God has shown us in Jesus Christ.
III. WALK HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD
It was said of a man named Enoch that he “walked with God”—and he walked so closely, the
Scripture says, that “Enoch was not, for God took him” (Genesis 5:24). That must have been one
incredible walk! But we are told here not just to WALK with God, but to walk HUMBLY. HOW CAN
WE WALK HUMBLY WITH GOD? I find it helpful when I think of “walking” with God to look at
places in Scripture which use the same metaphor of walking to describe our relationship with God. I
offer here several that may be helpful in seeing the truth of our text:
(1) Walk in obedience—“Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord”
(Psalm 119:1).
(2) Walk in good works—“We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which
God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).
(3) Walk in wisdom—“Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time”
(Colossians 4:5).
(4) Walk in the light—“If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one
another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).
(5) Walk in the Spirit—“Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh” (Galatians
5:16).
(6) Walk in love—“Walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us” (Ephesians
5:2).
If we would walk with God, then let us walk in these things—because if we are walking in these
things, we can’t help walking with God.
--Walk in OBEDIENCE, and you walk with God, because you walk in His will.
--Walk in GOOD WORKS, and you walk with God, because this is His plan for you.
--Walk in WISDOM, and you walk with God, for you walk in the “wisdom from above” spoken of by
James
--Walk in the LIGHT, and you walk with God, because He is the source of the light.
--Walk in the Spirit, and you walk with God, for “God IS Spirit.”
--Walk in LOVE, and you walk with God, for “God IS love.
WHAT DOES GOD EXPECT? Not that much, really. Mainly, a close walk with Him, loving Him and
loving others, remembering the promise:
“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8).