Mandate for Living

He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)

George Grant, a biographer of Theodore Roosevelt, notes that Roosevelt coined the phrase “the Micah Mandate” with reference to this powerful little verse. When Roosevelt was asked by the New York Bible Society to inscribe a message in the pocket New Testaments that WWI soldiers were given, Roosevelt began by quoting the mandate of Micah 6:8. In a brief message to the soldiers, Roosevelt explained:

Do justice; and therefore fight valiantly against those that stand for the reign of Moloch and Beelzebub on this earth. Love mercy; treat your enemies well; succor the afflicted; treat every woman as if she were your sister; care for the little children; and be tender with the old and helpless. Walk humbly; you will do so if you study the life and teachings of the Savior, walking in His steps.

I am impressed by the admonition of Roosevelt. He commissioned the soldiers into battle with a biblical reminder of the timeless principles of justice, mercy and humility. Regardless of the nature of the battles you are facing today it’s good to march with the same mandate from God. The mandate from Micah 6:8 is a recipe for integrity and maturity. Living out the mandate requires my attention and sensitivity on a daily basis. Consider the challenges. It’s easy for me to loosen my grip what it means to act justly and then forsake God’s standard for righteous action. So often, doing nothing is too easy. It’s tempting to expect mercy and grace for myself and fail to extend the same to others. When it comes to humility, is anyone going to pretend that pride is an easy foe to defeat? If you have questions about what God expects, I suggest a bookmark at Micah 6:8.