Today’s reading: Micah 6:8
It’s that time of year again. Time to reflect on the accomplishments of 2018 (or lack thereof), and time to finalize annual performance ratings for my staff. I am blessed to work with a great team of leaders. Their varied background, experiences and styles have allowed our Department to achieve great things in 2018. Year-end performance ratings, however, are all about differentiating between the performance of each person in order to apportion the biggest compensation awards to the highest performers. The conversation always centers on how each of them measured up against expectations during the year. Poor performers often don’t meet expectations, good performers meet and occasionally exceed expectations, but great performers are those that consistently exceed expectations. These are the folks who deserve the greatest compensation awards.
As I was pulling into the parking lot at work last Thursday morning, Casting Crowns’ song Courageous came on the radio. I’ve heard the song many times, but this day God used it to speak to my heart. It wasn’t the primary lyrics of the song, rather the quiet words of the background vocals that have been on my mind for the past week. They were a very timely reminder of God’s expectations for those of us that are committed to following his ways –
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).
Here’s what this passage means to me –
- Do justice – Choose to do the right thing for the right reason.
- Love mercy – Because sin came into the world and ruined God’s perfect plan, none of us are capable of doing the right thing for the right reason all the time. Thus, we need to love mercy – showing compassion and forgiveness to others who wrong us; seeking compassion and mercy from God for the sins we’ve committed.
- Walk humbly with your God – Although redemption has been secured for us by Christ’s death, it is not granted to us unless we accept Jesus as Savior and Lord of our lives.
As you reflect on your individual performance in 2018 against God’s expectations, how do you measure up? If you’re anything like me, I suspect you feel you could do better than you did. Take heart my friend, tomorrow is a new day.
The steadfast love of theLord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23).