Gary V. Smith: Culturally Comfortable

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With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has shown you, O mortal, 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 6:6-8

“Today people may think they have done what God expects if they have been baptized or joined the church, just as Micah’s audience thought they had done everything God wanted when they sacrificed a number of animals. Some think that they have pleased God because they celebrate Communion once every month or contributed at least a good part of their tithe ever week. Others assume God will be pleased with them for saying the Rosary or the Lord’s Prayer several times a day. A few think that following the Golden Rule or doing as well as the guy next door is all that is required…

These different options tend to be based not only on personal opinions but also on the belief that God is only impressed with repeated performance of duties or with what I find culturally comfortable. In most cases a good thing becomes a poor substitute for the most important requirement from God: truly communicating with Him…Micah clearly indicates that outward display of religious piety is not the key. This is especially true when it comes to the misconception that we can somehow please God more or earn His favor automatically by increasing the number of things we do for Him…”

Gary V. Smith in Hosea, Amos, Micah (NIVAC; Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001) 559-562.

As Micah states plainly, God did not spell out the parameters of a relationship with Him as if they were a checklist so that religious piety was disconnected from everyday living. No, He’s not looking for “repeated performance of duties.” On the contrary, the law was to teach us God’s design for life and living, that we act with justice and fairness toward others, that we love to show mercy because we ourselves have received mercy, and we walk humbly with God.

This means rather than doing what is “culturally comfortable,” we live countercultural, generous lives. The world says to condemn sinners, we urge forgiveness. The world hoards wealth, we freely share it. The world exhibits piety on occasion for show, we commune with God as part of everyday life. Yet again the prophets remind us that God does not need our money, He wants every aspect of our lives to bring Him glory. What about your life? Do you appear culturally comfortable?