The Words of Micah

My sister Lorinda and I were in the Caribbean, in a small village shop far from the usual tourist places. Bare bulbs, sacks of flour, butter from Denmark sold by the ounce from an unrefrigerated tub and weighed upon an iron scale from some previous century.

Thumb tacked high on the wall were small, plastic signs with aphorisms and bits of scripture. Lorinda said to the proprietor, “I like that sign that says, ‘Do justice, love kindness, walk humbly with your God.'”

“Indeed,” said the proprietor, “The words of Micah.” He stood upon a rickety chair and removed the flyspecked sign from the wall. Lorinda and I looked at one another. Did he think we intended to buy it? The proprietor filled a pan with water, set the pan upon the counter and methodically washed the sign then dried it carefully with a clean, white cloth.

He held the sign out to Lorinda and said, “May God’s words carry you home.”

Amen.

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord!
Josh