Episode 439: I’m Talkin…Required

I’m Talkin’, episode 439, for September 13th, 2026.

This is Joel from the I’m Talkin’ microcast, where I share my thoughts on a topic that has piqued my interest this past week.

This week, we’re talking required.

Before I get started, I try not to repeat words in my podcast.

I’m now at 439 episodes on this podcast, and I think I’ve repeated the same word maybe two different times.

But this week, not only am I repeating the same word, I’m repeating the same podcast that I did in July of 2021.

It’s unavoidable because of the verse that I’m using, so I apologize in advance, but I still hope you can enjoy.

So required is a simple word.

It really has a meaning that is just known, and it’s something that must be done.

There are maybe things that have to be met to advance.

There are things that are set that are required for some kind of achievement, that are required for some kind of advancement.

All kinds of things that can be required and are set upon us by the world in which we live, and therein lies the challenge for those of us who call ourselves Christians.

Today’s word comes from Micah 6, verse 8, that says, Know, O people, for the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

Many people think that following God and following Jesus Christ is laden with too many rules.

There are too many things that have to be followed.

There’s no desire to really change, and maybe that’s the biggest problem.

But the fact is that the requirements that Jesus and God place on us to be related to Him are very few and actually not all that difficult.

The first thing that Micah says in the verse is, God has told you what is good.

And so He’s not left us in the dark for how we are to behave.

And then he says, These are the only things that are required of you, and it’s only three.

It says to do what is right.

And who doesn’t like people that do what is right?

People of integrity that no matter who’s watching, no matter what circumstance, they are doing their best to do what is right.

Who doesn’t want that?

Who doesn’t like those type of people?

And then the second thing is to love mercy.

Again, this is a drawing word.

This is something that makes people want to be around someone, someone who is of mercy, someone who does not bring the hammer down, someone who understands the folly of humanity, someone who’s willing to look past faults and not necessarily ignore them, but not hold you to a standard that they’re not willing to be held to, but to show mercy even in the aftermath of someone doing what is wrong.

And then the third thing it says, to walk humbly with your God.

Who does not like people of humility?

Humble people draw people to themselves.

It’s not meek.

It’s not run over.

It’s not not standing up for yourselves.

But this says, walk humbly with your God.

Let God direct your steps.

Let God be the one who Well, take the credit for the things that you should not take the credit for.

Be humble in your approach to life.

These three things: to do what is right, to love mercy, to walk humbly with our God.

If, as a Christian, we are able to accomplish those three things, we will draw many people to want to know our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Until next week, this is Joel from the I’m Talking Microcast.