Next Monday is a national holiday. It will be Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. It is a day set aside to reflect and remember the life and works of Dr. King. It has become a day of service – service in our community – a day to serve one another in brotherly love. The acts of service can be small, organized, unorganized, great, one-on-one or many but the point is to do great things in love. It is a fitting way to remember his legacy and all that he stood for.
Books have been written about Dr. King. To fully grasp who he was, what he did and that which he left to do, one would need to research and read about him. A mere blog post could not cover it. Regardless of your stance on the matter, Dr. King was influential – not just here in the US but world wide. An Alabama preacher who began his public presence by standing up for the rights of union workers grew to become a voice for civil rights for all. Note I said all. Often he is associated with civil rights for black people. If you study Dr. King, you will find he was a voice for all people. Rooted in strong Christian values, Dr. King’s message was consistent and resonated with the masses. This registered Republican (sorry democrats, he was a republican) truly lived the message he preached. He never claimed to have all the answers; he never claimed to be perfect. What he did do was stand up for a belief he was committed to in a time when truth was needed.
The incredibly sad part about Dr. King’s legacy is how it is being distorted and twisted for the current worldview. If one truly wishes to uphold that which Dr. King believed and stood for, then one must stay true to his message, his beliefs and the manner in which he did things. One must examine his work, his words and his actions. Dr. King would not condone the manner in which some use his legacy today. His passion for justice and equality was not to be used as an excuse. I have read and studied his, “I have a dream” speech. This year, it is 51 years old. Dr. King sent into the world a challenge of his dream – one embraced and echoed by so many. One that is repeated and passed down for over 5 decades. My question to so many is when will we stop talking about this dream, referring to this dream, leaning on this dream and start making it a reality? Instead of saying its been 50 years since Dr. King had a dream why can’t we say We listened and we achieved? Is that not what he would have wanted? I am positive he would much rather have speeches delivered on the day set aside to remember him that address the unity, service, love and progress we see, experience and are making personally, as a community, a neighborhood, as a church and as a nation rather than highlighting what we need to do, reminiscing about his dream and all we still have to do.
I love quotes. I have a collection of them on pinterest. And you know as of late, I have been doing “lists” so, I have compiled a top 10 list of my favorite Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. quotes. I think they are as relevant today as they ever were:
10. “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.
9. “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
8. “Not everybody can be famous but everybody can be great because greatness is determined by service…You need only a heart full of grace and a soul generated by love.”
7. “People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they have not communicated with each other.”
6. “Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction.”
5. “If any earthly institution or custom conflicts with God’s will, it is your Christian duty to oppose it. You must never allow the transitory, evanescent demands of man-made institutions to take precedence over the eternal demands of the Almighty God.”
4. “Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think.”
3. “Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”
2. “Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of education.”
- ” Mighty is the vision of those who strive with heart and determination.”
Dr. King was many things. He was a preacher and advocate. He was a father and husband. He was a beloved friend and devoted servant. People remember him for different reasons. Let it be clear that his legacy does not hinge on one particular act or speech. It was who he was and his core beliefs that defined him as a person; a person who outwardly lived that which he preached. He did not confine himself to one race or profession in his message. He was truly a man who worked for the betterment of all God’s children. He knew the difference between empty words and a caring heart. He knew a man’s silence spoke as loud as his loudest screams. He knew riots were far different from non-violent protests. He knew the difference between hate and love. He knew the real meaning of integrity and character. He knew serving had its purpose for both those who were served and those who served. He knew there was a time to lead and a time to follow and furthermore, he knew the importance of thinking (true rational thought) in knowing the difference. He knew moving forward was far better than standing still or looking back. He knew doing the right thing, regardless of what others did, sent a louder message than any other message sent, even if it meant doing it alone. Ultimately, he knew the truth and that truth was the redeeming grace, mercy and love of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. No, Dr. King was not a perfect man. He was one man, driven by his desire to serve others in the way he was led.
On this day, set aside to remember and celebrate his legacy, may we all take time to accurately reflect his work. May we be inspired to renew our commitment to serve one another and ask ourselves the question do we live the life we are led to live? Do we follow the greatest commandments? Do we love the Lord with all our heart, soul and mind and love our neighbor as we love our self? Do we rise above the world view and do what we know to be true? Are we committed to stop talking about the dream and start making it happen? Do we do that in all things?
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