Walking Like Dad

“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 6:8).

Have you ever watched a dad and son walk together? Maybe it was in a store or along a hiking trail. At a quick glance, you just know who is related to who! Knowing the specific path our heavenly Father has for each of us is not so easy to discern at times, is it? The personal will of God for our lives like what job to take, who to marry, where to live, or what church to join is often not as clear as we would like it to be.

However, walking the way He walked and talked is really not a mystery. Most of the walking path He has for us to walk has been clearly revealed in the Bible--His love letter to us. Micah’s prophecy outlines that walking like our Father impacts our actions, our affections and our attitudes toward others. We are called to walk His talk so to speak. As followers of Jesus, we seek to do what is right by the power of the Spirit no matter what, because that’s what He does! Our quest for social justice will not be focused on what others need to do to treat us right, but rather on His call to do right, to act justly, even when we are being wronged.

Walking His talk impacts our affections—we will love showing mercy to others. Rather than demanding that others get what they deserve, we will by the power of the Spirit bestow kindness to those who have wronged us because that is what He loves to do! The significance of showing mercy as Micah urges is that being kind to others is only half of what followers of Jesus are called to do. Loving to be kind is the other half. I have found myself being kind begrudgingly rather than lovingly many times. Apprehending His lovingkindness in our lives—the fact that He loves to be kind to His people. He does not hold His nose, so to speak, while being kind to those who do not deserve His kindness. Receiving this kind of kindness is the pathway for us to love showing mercy.

Walking His talk impacts our attitude—we will walk or live humbly with our God. Of course there is no other way to walk with God, is there? He “opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6; Proverbs 3:34; Psalm 138:6). As we seek to walk His talk by the power of the Holy Spirit, the Lord is faithful to guide us to walk that specific path He has for each of us. Is not that what He did for Eliezer, Abraham’s servant? “I being in the way, the Lord led me…” (Genesis 24:27, KJV). Discerning God’s specific will in our individual lives is a result and an outcome of walking His talk as He has graciously written for us in His love letter, the Bible.

Dr. David Ley is the President of Alaska Bible College and Pastor of Family Care, ChangePoint Mat-Su.