Washington Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

By Derek Lane, Washington Conference outreach ministries and regional ministries coordinator

Micah 6:8 asks a simple but piercing question:

These words do not whisper; they insist. They call us to faith not as ritual alone, but as justice lived out daily.

Faith is not confined to the pulpit. It is found in listening to a neighbor’s story, praying with someone in need, and standing with those the world overlooks. Jesus Himself went to the margins, lifting the broken and restoring dignity to the unseen. His ministry was connection, compassion, and courage in motion.

I was reminded of life’s fragility on March 7, when I suffered a major hemorrhagic stroke.

I do not recall the ambulance ride — only that God’s mercy placed my wife, herself a nurse, back in our home that morning at the exact moment I needed her most. By grace, I escaped the lasting effects many endure. Since that day, every breath and every encounter has become more precious.

Connection is not passive — it demands action. Fairness calls us to honor all people with dignity. Equity presses us to tear down barriers that keep others from God’s blessings. Justice requires us to speak against oppression and stand with the vulnerable.

When we live this way, the gospel is no longer only words — it becomes visible. Love builds bridges across divides. Truth finds its voice in silence. Hope rises where despair once stood.

So today, let us walk humbly, act justly, and love mercy. Let us be living witnesses that God is present wherever love and justice meet.

“Dear God, thank You for life and for the chance to be vessels of hope and encouragement. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”