Three Kinds of People

Scripture:
What can I do with you, Ephraim?
    What can I do with you, Judah?
Your love is like the morning mist,
    like the early dew that disappears.
Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets,
    I killed you with the words of my mouth—
    then my judgments go forth like the sun.
For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,
    and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.
Hosea 6:4-6

Observation: Hosea is primarily prophesying about Israel (Ephraim), which by this time has been so wicked that it is already being carved apart and is about to be destroyed. While he has said Judah still loves God, he knows that will change too and thus Judah is also part of the mix. As a result, Hosea is talking about two kinds of people:

1) Those who have completely turned away from God, who either completely ignore his laws or outright hate him (Israel).

2) Those who still profess their love for God and try to do good, but who have intermixed false doctrine and teaching that is undermining their actions and will eventually overtake their beliefs (Judah).

However, this is a third actor ... the prophets and unnamed remnant of people who do still love God. We know they will be spared - not from the destruction of the nations, but from eternal wrath from God. These people are doing at least three things. They are speaking strong truth, showing mercy, and acknowledging God.

Application: I see some alignment of the people in the world today. There are those who either ignore or even hate God. There are those who think they are following God through worship and prayer but have compromised major pieces of God's truth to align to their current culture. And there are those who are in right alignment with God and with Jesus as their true Lord.

Proper alignment to God often comes down to these three elements, and I need to consciously keep them central in my life. First is truth, or justice - having a clear understanding of right and wrong in God's eyes and behaving and speaking on the side of right. Second is mercy - loving others as Christ loves them. Third is relationship - acknowledging God, and humbly walking with him daily.

Prayer: Lord, guide me to be the "third" kind of person all the time. May I keep your truths firmly in front of me and in my mind, sealed in my heart, so that I may follow your teaching, laws, and love every day. Amen.