Walk This Way
He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8 NASB
Humbly – Once only. Hatsnea is only used in this verse in Micah. We know what it means to walk, but what does it mean to walk “humbly”? There are no other places where we can compare this word in other contexts so we are forced to look at the only derivative found in Proverbs 11:2. We find that tsana’ is contrasted with pride. So walking humbly probably means walking without attracting attention, without seeking glory and without concern for yourself. That certainly seems appropriate given our position before the holy God. Now perhaps we can fill in the rest.
There is little doubt that “walking” is used as a metaphor in Scripture for following in the ways of the Lord. The idea is to exercise the instructions given by YHVH. In other words, “walking” is doing what God asks. From Micah’s perspective, this is what God requires. God gives guidance. God gives commands. God gives direction. We do. But Micah’s use of tsana’ reminds us that when we do what God asks, we are merely fulfilling what any good servant would do. We do not get special merit or honor for doing what is expected of a servant. Yeshua’s comment reflects this perfectly. How will the servant reply to the Master when he is given recognition for fulfilling the command? “I only did what I was expected to do.”
The epitome of walking humbly is to do whatever God asks anonymously. No credit can be given if no one knows who did what. Perhaps that’s the real message behind not letting the right hand know what the left hand is doing. Seeking anonymity is a sign of a deeply spiritual attitude.
Micah’s one time use of tsana’ calls a lot of our actions into question. How many times have our noble acts and our charitable deeds been laced with just a pinch of the desire for recognition? “Oh, that wing of the hospital was donated by . . .” “Don’t you know, she gave all of these to the church bake sale.” “I supported that ministry with a substantial gift last year.” “Just look at all the time he has given to this cause.” Yes, even those great deeds can become tools in the hands of the yetzer ha’ra. It doesn’t spoil the result. The hospital wing gets built. The bake sale is a success. The ministry thrives. It only spoils the giver. Most of the time it’s really quite sufficient that God knows—and no one else. Most of the time it is quite sufficient that God knows you fulfilled that mitzvah. Most of the time there is really nothing more accomplished by recognition. And if God decides to honor your effort, ah, well then you can answer, “But I was just doing what You asked of me, Lord.”
Topical Index: hatsnea, tsana’, humbly, anonymous, Micah 6:8
For what it’s worth, the Indo-European root word for “humble” is “dhghem,” according to my American Heritage Dictionary. Meaning? Earthling, of the earth, humus, human. To be humble is to know we are but dirt-born and soil-fashioned. Most of us go through life seldom thinking of the ground beneath us. Anonymous indeed.
The Way of the Cross
Humility? While Moses may have been meek (teachable) our LORD Jesus (Our Teacher) was the Example and Exemplar of humility. And? (Thomas) if I may quote you: “For what it’s worth, the Indo-European root word for “humble” is “dhghem,” according to my American Heritage Dictionary. Meaning? Earthling, of the earth, humus, human. To be humble is to know we are but dirt-born and soil-fashioned. Most of us go through life seldom thinking of the ground beneath us. Anonymous indeed.” How often after an amazing miracle did our Master say “tell no man!!” And? Who among mortal men is the most “human” human ever to have lived? It IS the LORD.
It really is (for some) “too simple.” What is the anti-thesis (and arch-enemy) of humility? It is Pride. And who, dear friends, is the Model of Pride? Who fell from Heaven because of (yes) the sin of pride? May I say again? The sin of pride.
It was Lucifer who thought (stinkin’ thinkin’) he would (or could) exalt himself over God. Ludicrous to even think the one created could say to his Creator, I am greater than Thou? Lol! – Not hardly. (Excuse me, but) What a dummy!
Satan is a created being. (hello) – And? – So are we! Remember? It is He who has created us, – and? NOT (worth repeating?) NOT we ourselves!
Oh, friend! Life itself is a glorious Gift!!! This is the day that I have I made? NO! I get to enjoy it, but I certainly am NOT the ONE who IS large and in charge!! BTW, “this IS the Day which our LORD has made! (and?) And now I certainly will rejoice and be glad in it!! –
“He humbled Himself.. ” Never forget. Adam (animated adamah!) avad and adore Adonai.
Walk this way. It began with that walking, talking, naked serpent in the garden succeeding in convincing Havvah of another paradigm.
The serpent was simply speaking its nature in a naked, unashamed manner, talking to Havvah while walking about in the proximity and presence of Havvah and Adam.
Sounds like yetzer haRa.
Walking around in Havvah’s focus talking and suggesting to her senses and will that she shouldn’t be ashamed to do with that which was given her as she thought best. It pleased her senses. It made sense to her. It became very reasonable.
Never mind that the whole episode replaced the very words of life given by YHWH. She came to believe and accept her way and understanding of events, sifted through a new paradigm was also as good as the life that YHWH had explained. Obviously, her Adam needed helping in understanding the very words spoken to him by YHWH. So, Havvah tweaked them to fit a new paradigm – hers. She chose. She chose a path and walked in a manner contrary to life itself, YHWH’s instructions.
Humility in her walk vanished. Pride in her own way triumphed. Adam then chose a new leader – Havvah.
(Way to go Adam! – I’m, unfortunately, right there with ya, bud!)
Enter . . . death: Life and true freedom is within the boundaries of Torah.
Serpent? Yetzer haRa? These two are pretty chummy partners.
Perfectly spoken Skip…more than the just the words-I felt His Heart speak in what you said. Thank you.
As typical man opts to strive for attention,
the Master chose to ride into Jerusalem
on a donkey.
This verse has such depth. It reveals the heart of YHWH. Humility is so lacking in the lives of ‘leadership’ and His followers.
And Abraham replied, “Now behold, I have ventured to speak to the Lord, although I am but dust and ashes.” Gen 18:27 A need to remind ourselves constantly, we are but dust and ashes.
“The Torah, say the rabbis (Taanit 7a), is compared to water for just as water only runs downhill, never uphill, the word of God can only be heard in a humble heart.
“The religious basis for humility is that only God knows the true worth of each human being,….. should be encouraged to overlook entirely all considerations of both inferiority and superiority.” -Rabbi Louis Jacobs
“Our Father’s principles are completely interwoven with the idea of humility.
In the original Hebrew text, signs of it are everywhere! Such as in the word bless, which in Hebrew means, “to kneel” (barak).
Or the Hebrew word for worship (shakhah), which means, “to bow down.” G-d in His Wisdom knew that pride would be our biggest obstacle.
He loved us enough to instruct us in the way of humility to remind us to remember that we are nothing without Him.
THE LACK OF A STRONG FOUNDATION MAKES WHATEVER IS BUILT UPON IT WEAK!” (Bob Gorelick taught that one cannot build a 2nd storey building without a 1st)
” without the strong foundation of what is revealed in the Old Testament to build upon… that level of comfort is flimsy and weak.
The Hebrew language is consistent. Every letter has meaning…letters are built into root words, which have meaning…and root words are added to or combined to make other words. The words that are created carry the meaning of all that they are built upon. Just like the New Testament is built upon the old! And that art, that depth, that dimension of understanding…is lost in translation.
The Hebrew word anav is often translated in Scripture as humble. This word stems from the actions of ‘responding or answering’ (as in testifying to) and ‘being low”. Not only is anav considered to mean humble, it is also found translated as poor, meek and lowly.
Anav is a condition of a person; a characteristic of a person’s heart. And the condition of one’s heart shows through one’s actions. We cannot ascribe one English word to anav. If we only see this word as meaning humble or meek or lowly in the English sense, we lose so much!
He will not forget the cry of the afflicted (anavim). Psalm 9:12
The reality that lowering ourselves is a testimony that we are completely dependent on HIM! Because Yeshua, the prophet like Moses, did indeed exemplify and speak of anav when He walked on this earth!…. this character trait, anav, which Moses and Yeshua personified.
Saving the people from bondage…making intercessions…testings….burden of leadership… teaching…even the offering of oneself to atone for the people (to name just a few)… were shared by both! In Exodus 32: 30-32
We living today should heed the warning given to us here. To be watchful and truly firm in a strong foundation.
We living today should heed the warning given to us here. To be watchful and truly firm in a strong foundation.
Psalm 25 That He will guide the anavim in judgment, teaching them His way.
-Jennifer Ross
Shalom.