I expect many of us have wrestled this week with the question “What can I do to help root out racism and heal our land?” Our pastor, Tim Wood of Evergreen Valley Church in San Jose, wrote a post this week that I thought gave wise encouragement about what is required of us. With his permission, I am reposting his words here.

He has told you, O man, 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? (Micah 6:8 ESV)

 But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, and don’t take yourself too seriously— take God seriously. (Micah 6:8 The MSG)

 3,000 years later, and these words from Micah are still relevant and powerful. These words are simple to read and challenging to live out.

What does the LORD (Yahweh) require of us? Only this, to do justice, to love people loyally and to remain humble before our God.

This is the spirit I hope you will live out in your heart and home and in our church and before our community. We cannot be a church that is true to the demands of the Gospel if we don’t act justly. We aren’t true to the Gospel if we don’t act to root out racism in the structures of our society and church. We do justice when we give all human beings their due as creations of God. We cannot achieve personal holiness if we don’t love our neighbors with steadfast love. The love and compassion of Jesus means I respect all human beings.

Only if we do these things can we expect to walk humbly with our God. For God is a God of love and justice, a God who made us all in His image. Racism is a denial of that truth. It’s an offense against God.

We know that racism exists in our culture, my prayer is that it will not continue to exist in the church. We can’t be a light that shines in the darkness, if there is darkness in our heart. We lose supernatural witness when we allow sin to abide in us. We can’t walk humbly before our God with a prideful attitude.

Dr. Tony Evans says, “It’s time for a reset in our culture. It’s time to reverse the curse of racism.” Dr. Evans makes it clear that change starts with individuals. It doesn’t start with a group, it starts with me; with you. Change my heart, O God. Change the way I think and see.

It’s practiced in your family. Transfer the godly values of justice and love to your children. Do this by reaching out and serving other people who are different than you. When changes happen in individual hearts and in family life, it brings change to the church. We can become that city set on a hill that Jesus called us to be.

What is good and what does the Lord require of me during this time of racial tension? To do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly before with your God.

Let’s pray together: Lord, our hearts are heavy. Open our eyes to see what You see. Open our ears to hear what You hear. Let me see every person the way You see them. Let your love flow from us like a mighty river. Let justice roll like waters. May love and justice start with me. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Note from Carol: Thank you Pastor Tim.

Readers, I welcome your thoughts on ways we can do justice and love mercy.