When I traveled to the West Coast on business, I stayed on East Coast time. That meant that I would wake up at 3:00 am. I remember getting ready for the day while watching Los Angeles wake up. There is always traffic noise in LA. But as it got closer to rush hour, the noise increased considerably.
In 1995, the OJ Simpson trial dominated local and national news. There was anxiety about terrorism following the Oklahoma City bombing. The AIDS epidemic was on the rise. There was concern about the Internet as the year 2000 approached. And urban crime, especially drug related crime, was in the news.
So, thirty years ago, we had to deal with a great deal of environmental and psychological noise. Since the pandemic, environmental and psychological noise has increased considerably.
According to a Google search, people worry today about the cost of living, inflation, and economic security. There are concerns for healthcare access and costs. AI and potential misinformation worry some people. Election security and political instability is causing anxiety. Social censorship, safety, public health and health misinformation are causing psychological noise.
There was plenty of noise during the time of the prophet Micha. He had strong words for people in power. As it can happen when the thirst for power and wealth are the top priority, there is exploitation of the poor, corruption, oppression and violence, and religious hypocrisy. Prophets have the courage, often amid threats, to speak hard words. But they also speak words of hope. Micha’s prophecy included both.
From Micha 3:11, “Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets tell fortunes for money.”
He prophesied that if they continued with their corrupt behavior, “Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble” (Micah 3:12)
Samaria was destroyed by the Assyrians. One hundred years later Babylon attacked Jerusalem. The city was burned. The Temple was destroyed. And the people were exiled.
Micha prophesied what was needed when the “noise” begins to increase in a society. From chapter six verse eight: He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”
Justice is defined as rooted in love, with actions of mercy and compassion. It is about social justice for the marginalized. And it challenges oppression. The Lord requires of us to DO justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with God.
Today, the Spirit of the risen Christ is in and with some people on our communities and in our nation. As Gpd spoke through the prophet Mic=ha, they are doing what is good. They will welcome anyone who hears and responds to the call to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God.