The Answer For The Soul Series

THE ANSWER FOR THE SOUL (VERSE 8)

Micah shares with us what the answer for our soul is. He tells us that God has shown us what is good. God has shown us what He demands of His creation. These three demands that Micah mentions are very spiritual in nature and feed our soul. They connect us to God in profound ways. Possessing a heart that is just, merciful, and humble means we are obedient to God and He will dwell with us.

ACT JUSTLY

Justness and uprightness should be a part of all our relationships. We should judge correctly the situations around us. We are not to treat others unjustly or to be honest… just according to what we deem as just. We are to act justly according to God’s definition and use His measures when navigating our relationships.

This is why Jesus teaches in Matthew 7:1-5, "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.”

We like to stop reading at verse 1. Jesus teaches about acting justly. We are to be fair in the measure we use. We are to be mindful of our faults as we talk to others. We are to order our own lives rightly so that we can be a just person. Acting justly connects our soul with God because He is completely just and righteous. Acting justly is good for our soul.

How do we know if we are acting justly? Here are some questions we can ask ourselves:

Do we owe anything to anyone or maybe need to make a situation right?

Have we told a lie to someone and the truth was the casualty in our conversation?

Have we treated others as we want to be treated?

Are we telling someone not to do something that we ourselves do on a regular basis?

Are we living and navigating life by the narrow way Jesus taught?

LOVE MERCY

Mercy and compassion and grace are the needed coverings over sin and error and hardness of heart. God is known for His great mercy. Love and mercy are linked when it comes to God and His character. It should be linked with us as well as we follow Him.

Nehemiah 13:22, “Remember me for this also, O my God, and show mercy to me according to Your great love.”

Psalm 25:6-7, “Remember, O LORD, Your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. 7 Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to Your love remember me, for You are good, O LORD.”

Jude 1:2, “Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.”

Jude 1:21, “Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.”

That last verse in Jude (21) we just read reminds us that as we navigate this life day after day that we are to keep ourselves in God’s love and live in the mercy God provides. We do not keep that to ourselves, but be a person who loves mercy for those around us. Loving mercy is good for our soul.