Walk the Micah Road

He has shown all you people what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
Micah 6:8, TNIV

In Jeremy Kingsley’s book, Be Last – Descending to Greatness, Kinglsey writes about a Christian college and their remarkable graduation ceremony tradition. When graduates walk across the stage they shake hands with the president, accept their diplomas, and receive a symbolic gift: a towel.

Why a towel?” Kingsley asked. “Because as in the Bible, one of that college’s core values is humility. Putting others first. Helping people. Serving. Becoming last so that Jesus can be magnified.”

Whether we’re walking across a stage, through our kitchen, down the church hallway or in the workplace, God’s children are all called to walk God’s way. God lays out those walking instructions in Micah 6:8, He has shown all you people what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

We’re in serious trouble if we only receive these walking instructions as a to-do list. If I’m going to walk justly I better volunteer at the homeless shelter (√), donate canned goods to the food shelf (√), and give more generously to charities (√).

We’ll miss the mark if we only see loving mercy as a list of people we should call and visit instead of having an authentic, compassionate heart for each person that God places on our path. And we’ll certainly be walking down the wrong road if we start taking pride in how humble we are!

Oh, that we would hear the truth of Micah 6:8 and heed it with a towel in hand. We must have the same attitude of mind that Christ Jesus had who did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28).

Jesus, who walked the Micah Road perfectly, made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a human being, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on the cross (Philippians 2:7-8).

Keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, let’s humbly receive God’s walking requirements and step onto the Micah Road. With God’s Word in one hand and towel in another, act justly – taking action that help sets the wrong right, love mercy – loving with a compassionate love – like Jesus, and walk humbly with God – depending on Him and trusting His lead.

Faith Step

Faith Step: Place a towel next to your Bible and/or GEMS materials as a symbolic reminder to walk as Jesus walked.

[Jesus] was spent for us, and the towel is a vivid reminder that life is not about us. Life is about serving others. It’s about connecting with God and doing what he says.
Jeremy Kingsley