The older I get, the more I realize that most of us know what to do, we are just not so good with follow through and actually doing what we know. It’s really not a difficult thing to figure out what is really important in this life. We know the basic difference between what is right and what is wrong. The challenge comes in our doing what is right and not doing what is wrong. The guidelines that God gives us in the scriptures are given to help us, not hurt us.

The secret to a blessed life is not just knowing what to do, but actually making sure we are doing what we know. We don’t have to know everything, because the truth is we know more than enough to keep us busy with just what we do know.

The best growth in life is growth that takes place as we learn. God does not expect perfection, He is looking for growth through our learning as we live. The fact that He gave us Jesus to do for us, what we could not do for ourselves is evidence of so much more than just His love. While God is not looking for our perfection, He is looking for our obedience and a willingness on our part to learn and grow. This is why the Scriptures are so important, because they teach us, guide us and correct our thinking and actions.

In our Scriptures in the book of Micah in chapter 6, verse 8, we find some very practical instruction that helps us to live the life of blessing we were created for. Let’s take a look at this amazing verse and allow it to grow us today…

“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” Micah 6:8

The Micah Mandate is found in three very simple, but powerful commands: Act right, love mercy and walk humbly with God. Let’s take a few moments to consider each one and how we might better put them into practice in our life and living.

ACT RIGHT! There is a right way and a wrong way to act, do and be. To act justly is to act the way that God would act. Several years ago, everyone started wearing the “W.W.J.D?” bracelets to remind themselves to ask and answer the question: “What Would Jesus Do?” It’s a great idea as long as we ask and answer the question and then allow the answer to impact our follow through. We know what to do, the challenge is to do it. A great encouragement and help here is the Golden Rule: “Do unto others, as you would have the do unto you.” If we would just do what we know, it would make life so much better.

LOVE MERCY! To truly love mercy, we must first open our heart, mind and life to receive mercy, because we cannot give to anyone else what we do not possess and have not experienced for ourselves. The greatest evidence that we have received mercy is that we are sharing it with others. Remember: Grace is getting what you don’t deserve and mercy is not getting what you deserve…

WALK HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD! I am nothing without my Creator. Anything I do good, is all God and anything I do bad is all me. When I get out of God’s way, He flows into and through my life in amazing and incredible ways. He does not force His way in, but waits for my invitation, which I can’t wait to give to Him when I am living in the humility that “I am nothing and can do nothing” of any significance without Him.

The Micah Mandate teaches us that with three simple steps, we can open up the floodgates of Heaven for the supernatural blessings of our Creator to flow into, through and all around our life. I challenge you to think about how you can act right, love mercy and walk humbly…