HARDWICK – “Act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8.
If Mother Theresa said she was but a small pencil in the hand of God, I may be comparatively a speck of broken chalk. But we are all called to leave our mark no matter how small and fragile. Some will do remarkable things that get noticed. Others will do everyday things that build up over time or only impact a few people. Some will help save the planet, change laws, lead organizations or combat injustice. Others will simply plant flowers. Each is doing what they can, where they are, with what they have, and to how they feel called. Justice is being fair and unbiased however we view and participate in our world.
Showing mercy (compassion, forgiveness, grace, humanity, kindness) to all is no easy task. It takes submitting to a higher love than my own. It takes thoughtful intention. It takes trying over and over to get it right so that it’s not just arrogant self-righteousness. God is love. Love flows from God to us and is meant to flow out to others; a constant stream. We are just conduits of that love.
Humility requires us to consider others above ourselves. Humility is not natural. It is about dropping our tools of destruction and picking up utensils of creativity and growth.
Walking humbly is knowing that others may have answers we don’t, others may possess knowledge we don’t, others who think and live differently than us may have something to teach us.
Walking humbly means listening, not with a ready answer waiting on our tongue, but listening to understand, to help, to encourage and to come along beside and partner with others for the common good. Listening is active, thoughtful and encourages connection.
Prayer is the heart’s cry for something else, something more, something holy. In the asking, in the acknowledgement that the Creator of the Universe is greater than we are, there comes a peace that doesn’t make sense, a joy in spite of what is going on, a hope for an unseen future and a love that daily makes a difference in how we approach others.
History is fraught with turbulent times. Profound truths often seem too simple to address the problems of our day. Wiser minds than mine have stood up in turbulent times and with simple acts and profound insights have changed the course of history. Let’s go and do likewise as we act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our God.
Rev. Avril Cochran is the pastor at The United Church of Hardwick and a registered nurse working as the clinical director for Orleans-Essex VNA and Hospice.
