Friday, February 27, 2015

Micah 6:8
He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice,
and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

When I think about doing justice, I think about the increasing tendency of our society to
respect, expect, and enjoy vigilante justice. Batman is a hero, the latest movies a screed against
the inefficiency of our institutions to bring justice to our community, leaving only the boldest
(and richest) of men able to do justice.
When I think about loving kindness, I think about admiring nice people. I think about how we
admire customer service people who go above and beyond, and that we love it when good things
happen to us, because people were nice.
When I think about walking humbly, I have an image of walking beside God with shoulders
slumped, head down.
But justice isnt individual. Even an individuals well-developed sense of justice wont make a
difference in what justice really is. Justice is collectively providing for the most vulnerable, the
widows and orphans, so they will be hungry no longer. I could feed widows and orphans, but
that would not be doing justice. It would, perhaps, be a kindness. Justice on the other hand,
would be all the widows and orphans being fed, with their lives being valued and cared for
without anything expected in return. Its about equity, no equality. If you are given much, in
terms of privilege, there is much that you are expected to give in return.
Its important to not confuse nice with kind. When a person is nice, theyre being agreeable. A
nice person is avoiding conflict, and giving you everything you ask. A person who is kind is
generous and considerate. Id add that they are probably compassionate. Sometimes, kindness
doesnt feel nice. Sometimes, kindness is challenging people in power in order to be generous to
those who do not have consideration.
And the position Ive associated with humility, Im slowly discovering, is the physicality of
shame. Shame is about thinking that you, intrinsically, are not good. And when you are not good,
you are ashamed of who you are, and what you do or dont do in the world. Instead, I think
humility is submitting yourself to Gods plan, but saying, I am here, Lord, if you need me.
Standing with your head held high, because your gifts and talents are needed, and you can cocreate with God because of the gifts he has given you.
Kate Ditzler

WHAT DOES THE

LORD REQUIRE OF YOU?