The Life That Pleases God

 

DAILY VITAMIN

- The Life That Pleases God 

“No, he has told you what He wants, and this is all it is: to be fair and just and merciful, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8 TLB)

Many years later, the same words stated in our opening scripture were re-enacted through the lips of Jesus Christ. Speaking to the crowd, He said “Yes, woe upon you, Pharisees, and you other religious leaders—hypocrites! For you tithe down to the last mint leaf in your garden, but ignore the important things—justice, mercy and faith. Yes, you should tithe, but you shouldn’t leave the more important things undone.” (Matthew 23:23 TLB). Note the words ‘more important’. All the giving in the world and all the smiling can’t substitute doing what is most important. Giving is great, smiling is good, but living the life that showcases godliness is all that really matters to God.

You see, being a Christian isn’t as straightforward as we tend to think. And so if we are not careful, we could be deceiving ourselves believing we are right with God simply because someone says we are, or because we speak powerfully in tongues and maintain a steady prayer life, when in reality we are far from Him. You’d notice that everything Jesus said, He said concerning the top tier of the religious body. Those who are perceived as god incarnates. Because you can look like something without being whatever it is. You might look like a proper Christian without being one. This was the irony with the Jewish spiritual leaders; they kept the sacred laws, rites and rituals sanctimoniously, but Christ labelled them hypocrites who keep traditions without honouring God (Mark 7:6-7). Why? Because being a proper Christian isn’t about doing certain things, but about doing certain things that really matter. Certain things like justice, mercy and humility.

So, (1) BE JUST:

Without justice, we are mere savages in the clothing of saints. And justice emanates from the heart—what we believe, which then influences what we do. That’s why it baffles me when I hear of corrupt politicians who are Christians, or pastors who are corrupt. It just doesn’t work. It’s like talking about a fish with beards. It shouldn’t be heard of. And so it means we have more hypocrites acting under a Christian tag than actual Christians. I don’t care if you built a hundred churches or descended from some heavenly clan, if you keep quiet in the face of injustice all because it doesn’t affect you and your family, then you are far from being Christian. Christians are meant to be completely just because Christ is. Christ is also truth, speaks truth regardless of consequence. He stuck His head out to defend the helpless even when it cost Him his own head. It was how He lived. The Bible never told us Jesus was ever barred from the temple, yet He spoke vehemently in behalf of those who were judged by some social prejudice to stay away. He spoke for the weak and the poor. He reprimanded wrong doing regardless of who did it. That’s why they hated Him, because He was no man pleaser, just a justice seeker. And that’s what being Christian is all about. It’s bigger than all of us. It’s about being like Christ in every way. And to Him there is no difference between the rich and the poor, the Jew and the Gentile; which is why He judges men by their deeds and not their origin. Can you say the same of yourself?

(2) BE MERCIFUL:

The same goes with being merciful. The most important part of a Christian is his/her regenerated heart. The heart of Christ expressed in and through us. A heart that weeps with the bereaved and rejoices with the joyful. A heart of compassion. The scripture says Jesus had compassion on the woman from Nain whose son had died, and through that raised him back to life. It’s about having a heart that cares, not just for those who care back but mostly for those who can’t. That’s what makes the Christian a different breed. A unique specie. The Spirit of Christ (and of love) dwelling habitually in our hearts, while shedding the Father’s unconditional love in us. Thus, a man without mercy can never have a part in Christ.

(3) BE HUMBLE:

A Christian knows he/she isn’t bigger than anyone regardless of how rich or poor he/she is. Because God isn’t. You see, there is no comparison with God. He is in a class of His own; and as a result must lower Himself to relate with beings of other classes—created beings, His own created beings. He humbles Himself to mingle with us, even to the point of living amongst us, and then declaring us as He is; like equals. Do you even know what that means, and what it takes to do that? Not even the King of Britain would see his own son as an equal. But God did, saying “as He is, so are we in this world.” (1 John 4:17). In the same way, He wants us to walk humbly before Him, and as a result relate humbly with men. And please note that humility isn’t thinking little of yourself. That’s self-deprecation. Humility is owning up to whom you are, knowing fully well what you possess and yet willing to give all it takes to connect with another without anything to compare with that possession. It is realizing that in God’s eyes all men are equal and treating them all as you would desire to be. So to him or her, there is no “I’m not in your class”, why?--because we know that we are in fellowship with one in whose class we can never be naturally deemed fit to belong, yet we are, and as such do to others as He has done for us.

Hence, if this isn’t how you’ve lived the past twelve months; if these three traits are missing in your life, then I don’t know what you are, but you are definitely not living the life that pleases the Lord.