Micah 6:8 – One Influential Verse

November 2009 – Grace & Truth Magazine

Micah 6:8 – One Influential Verse“He has showed you, O man, 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 NIV

While editing this month’s Feature articles on the Book of Micah, I discovered something: While Micah may not be on the Internet list of the most popular books of the Old Testament, one verse from it is very popular – Micah 6:8. Let me give you a few examples.

During last year’s presidential campaign coverage, one news commentator pointed out that President Jimmy Carter began his 1977 inaugural address by quoting Micah 6:8, and concluded by hoping that people might see the United States as “a nation that had remembered the words of Micah and renewed our search for humility, mercy and justice.”

This commentator’s reference to Carter was made because then presidential candidate Barack Obama had earlier responded to a question about his faith by paraphrasing Micah 6:8 and saying it was a guiding verse in his life.

Based on what Obama said, bumper stickers with “Micah 6:8” printed above “Obama 08” began appearing on cars all over the country. They are still seen on cars today. Was someone trying to make Micah 6:8 a campaign slogan?

Tee shirts also appeared at both Democratic and Republican campaign rallies saying, “‘Act justly, love tenderly, walk humbly’ (Micah 6:8).” Was this verse becoming more than just a one-party campaign slogan?

After the inauguration a news article referred to Micah 6:8 as a viable guideline for approaching the current economic, social and military crises facing the world community. Was this verse now being seen as a practical guide to humankind?

Who says the Word of God is meaningless, irrelevant, with nothing to say to today’s world? “The Word of God is living and active” (Heb. 4:12).

By Larry Ondrejack