Three virtues of good character come to my mind in relation to this subject and to introduce these three virtues I will be discussing the text, Micah 6:;8. Here Israel is disobedient like we were before we entered into relationship with God. Israel earlier in this chapter questioned what could they do for the Lord or bring to the Lord, mentioning sacrifices of rams, burnt offerings, rivers of oil and they even considered sacrificing their firstborn. God shared that he sought the virtues of justice, mercy and humility. Micah shares, " He hath shewed thee O man what is good, and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God" Bad character is derived from the sin problem. The answer to the sin problem is a change of heart, not sacrifices. This is what God desires today...a change of heart.

When God told them to act justly he meant living with a sense of right and wrong while portraying innocence. Justice is one of the four cardinal virtues. It is the moderation or mean between selfishness and selflessness-having more and having less than ones fair share.

Along with justice God ask us to provide mercy, liberality, bigheartedness, generosity and forgiveness. God wants us to show love and mercy towards our fellow man and towards him in the manner he did for us.

Lastly, God desires us to walk humbly, a description of the hearts attitude toward God. It is also depending on God rather than, recognizing dependence on our abilities.

In closing the response of a good godly characterized heart is outwardly to do justice, inwardly to love mercy and upwardly to walk humbly. These characteristics can only be reached by us through suffering, while being molded,fashioned and shaped into the character of Christ and overcoming such suffering with God's help, triumphing over it all victoriously through our faith (1 John 5;4).