Monday, January 19, 2015

KING

Martin Luther King, Jr -- pastor, preacher, motivator, advocate, revolutionary, orator -- delivered time after time words so closely aligned to the Gospel.

Today, we celebrate him.

KING:  "If you can't fly, then run.  If you can't run, then walk.  If you can't walk, then crawl.  But whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward."

APOSTLE PAUL:  "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."


KING:  "I have decided to stick with love.  Hate is too great a burden to bear."

JESUS:  "Greater love has no one that this:  to lay down one's life for one's friends."


KING:  "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that."

JOHN:  "The light shines in darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it."


KING:  "We must build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear."

PAUL:  "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of a sound mind."


KING:  "We must learn to live together as brothers or we will perish together as fools."

JESUS:  "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven."


And be blessed.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

MLK was such an inspirational man. I have heard that he took on some of his non-violent protests on the model of Ghandi. (Just an aside, I own the movie 'Ghandi" and it is amazing. Highly recommend it.)

It is horrendous that he and JFK, and RKJr. were taken at such a young age. They were on the right side of history in their fight for equal rights.

I know the church's stance on marriage equality, but the civil rights fight reminds me of it. Are we all equal? I say yes to that.

At any rate, I lived in the suburbs of Detroit until I was 8 yrs old. I played along side of African-American children. I was molded by my father, who was a musician. I liked Motown music instead of the Country music my parents liked. As I grew up, it never occurred to me to see anyone as 'less than I.'

I love the phrase, 'Those who do not stand for something will fall for anything.' It makes me think about the great sacrifice that MLK made for so many others to live freely. From the things I have read, he knew he would lose his life in the process, but he moved on. Much like Paul. Would I have their courage in the face of opposition to fight for what I truly believed in to my death? I would like to think so, but I wonder if I am willing to die on that hill. There are so many who would do that for the sake of Christ. I imagine that there is no other way...and it is admirable.

It somewhat reminds me of the 'Left Behind' series of books I read early on in my journey. There were so many who died in their faith in Christ. I realize it is fiction, but it portrays real life as well.

People who live their lives for a greater cause are an inspiration...I just wonder if I would have their fortitude.