January 19, 2009

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Posting

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the leaders who surrounded him were amazing men. In the face of hatred from those nearby and apathy from those far away, they determined that real change could take place. Instead of having grievances or embarking upon a self-righteous campaign of violence, they determined to do what was right, and help the rest of the nation do it, too.

They determined to make their case on the basis of what Jesus said was right and wrong, and let powerful moral arguments and endurance through trials prove the righteousness of their cause. They refrained from violence, even as it was used against them, because they knew that would lead to greater suffering. They did not seek to deny things to others - they sought justice for themselves.

I think it particularly noteworthy that in Dr. King's most famous speeches and addresses, he does not seek to take things from others so that his followers might enjoy them. Nor did he rail against America to show how good he himself was. Instead, he called all Americans to take action to realize the high ideals of our nation. These are the same ideals that our Founding Fathers knew God had called them to work towards.

It was many long, slow, painful steps from the Founding Fathers to Dr. King's day, and many more painful steps to our own. Along the way, all of us have made mistakes, and we've all done evil to each other. My hope is that on this day we will renew our commitment to pursuing the ideals of unity and justice, and that we will recognize each man and woman as someone God made and loves, not as something to be exploited.