Faith Formation: Micah - Justice, Kindness, humility

Put no trust in a friend; have no confidence in a loved one; guard the door of your mouth from her who lies in your embrace, for the son treats the father with contempt, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; your enemies are members of your own household. But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me. Micah 7:5-7

When society breaks down the family is affected. When the public sphere does not function because of greed, division of rich and poor, powerful and powerless, city and rural, even our closest relationships are affected. When those in charge, the ones expected to be faithful, upright, skilled, officials and judges prove to be out for themselves not even the one closest to you is without suspicion. The prophet lamented everything, and everyone, had fallen into chaos and contempt, probably for the sake of self preservation. It was a pretty grim assessment of life that shadowed the heart of the prophet. We tread lightly with it at the proverbial "Thanksgiving table" gathering of the family whose members must "guard the door of your mouth." We sing from Psalm 141, "Let my prayer rise before you as incense; the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice." The Psalm continues, "Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips." The guard on our mouth is not to prevent evil from entering, but to prevent poison from pouring forth from our words.

On the one hand this sounds like exaggerated language, or an emphatic description in order to make a point. As such it hits close to home because we cherish these relationships so dearly and expect that they should remain intact no matter what. And yet, we so often fail to "guard the door of our mouth." The scriptures from Proverbs to James give warnings while impulsiveness and assurance that "we are right, I am right," trips us up and foments division. We are hard pressed to know how to have a conversation on things that matter. No matter how many times we hear it we still have a hard time effecting it. "... no one can tame the tongue - a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those made in the likeness of God." James 3 "Rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment." Proverbs 12:18-19

The deep, devastating impact on these closest relationships, (friends, spouse, children) shocks us. And yet, we know that those we are most connected to and also the ones with whom we can experience the most raging fights. The ones who can bring us the greatest joys can cause us the greatest sorrows. Nations divided against themselves devolve into civil war. I have seen fights at funerals that nearly come to blows. When people fight over religious matters, even though claiming to be of like faith, passion quickly condemns to hell, or worse, those with whom we disagree. Blaise Pascal, "Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction." Jeremiah knew its reality when Jerusalem was under threat, "Beware your neighbors, and but no trust in any of your kin, for all your kin are supplanters, and every neighbor goes around like a slanderer. They all deceive their neighbors, and no one speaks the truth; they have taught their tongues to speak lies; they commit iniquity and are too weary to repent. Oppression upon oppression, deceit upon deceit! They refuse to know me, says the LORD." 9:4-6 Jesus whose love reconciled God to the world, knew also that faith would, or had immense potential to divide. "Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you but division! From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divided: father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law." Luke 12:51-53. Lord, guard the door of my lips.

All is not lost, even though we easily go widely astray. Laments in the Psalms often ended with an expression of faith and hope that resided in a confession of God's presence. Micah concluded this awful, personal lament for his nation and its families with a witness. "But as for me, I will look to the LORD, I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me." Micah's prayer was not for vindication, but for endurance. We do not give up on each other where we passionately believe we are right and the other wrong, we are the victim and the other the guilty. We learn the skill of patience and humility, of goodness and love, rather than become skilled to evil, or words of contempt.

Do Justice. Love Kindness. Walk humbly with God.

Pastor Tim Bauer