You’ve probably seen the signs: No Shirt. No Shoes. No Service. Or if expressed in the positive: Shirt and Shoes Required. Such signs came to widespread prominence in the West in opposition to the counterculture movement of the 1960s. Business owners were looking for ways to keep long-haired and often shoeless hippies out of their establishments. They were (usually) willing to serve anyone, but there were two absolutes to get in the door: shirt and shoes—required attire.

The words from Micah 6 are well-known: “Act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (v. 8). Much has been written and preached on these points. Yet there’s a tendency to skip past a crucial word that precedes those phrases, a word that sets the tone for all that follows: “What does the Lord require of you?” (v. 8). If you’re serious about living a Christ-honoring life, this is what is essential. Sacrifices may seem impressive, but that’s not what God requires. If there’s no justice, no mercy, and no humility, then God says, “That’s no good.”

This doesn’t mean that the reason God accepts us is based on what we do. He accepts us out of His great love. But it has everything to do with how we live if we’re serious about pleasing Him. We serve and honor Him when we do what He requires.