Pleasing God

"Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 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 6:7-8 (NIV)

God has a complaint against Israel--they have forgotten His goodness toward them. In response, they give some outrageous suggestions as to how they might get back in His good graces. Are they being sarcastic, as if they knew there was nothing they could do to please Him? God's answer is both simple and profound--in fact, they already know what is good. This is what God requires:
 "To act justly"--just do what's right. Treat people as you want to be treated, honor the law, be fair.
 "Love mercy"--don't just show mercy, love it. When we realize God's mercy toward us, we will love showing mercy to others.
"Walk humbly with your God"--when we really grasp our need for forgiveness, when we have a correct view of who God is and who we are, we will desire to walk with God and we will do it humbly.
Three simple things--that's all it takes to please your Father. It's really not asking too much.