By Andy Baker
Martin Luther King was one of the most influential leaders of my lifetime. In recent years I have revisited his writings, and have been challenged by what I have read and over the last year, I have had to truly do a personal self-examination of my own heart and soul to evaluate if my life was moving in the direction of reconciliation or presumed apathy.
I do believe that what we have seen in recent days, weeks, and months is a continuation of what King had hoped would cease. We continue to separate as a society because of our ethnicities, religious affiliation, and now political preference. King called for something more, just as Jesus prayed that his believers would one day be one so that the world would know him. In some of the rhetoric I hear today, so many people believe we have to defend the ways of God or biblical truth, but the heart of scripture teaches us to LOVE, and when love is absent, I strongly believe our efforts are in vain. What do we have to fear when our trust is in God? I am not saying we don't have to be concerned. But I believe the world would get a better glimpse of Jesus if Christians would live a life in peace, love, and charity with all.
Today as I conclude, I thought it would be best to simply consider the words of Dr. King. I hope you find these challenging. I know I have had to sit in quietness and consider their deeper meaning. I invite you to do the same.
“There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right.”
“Let no man pull you so low as to hate him.”
“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”
“I have decided to stick to love...Hate is too great a burden to bear.”
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
“No one really knows why they are alive until they know what they'd die for.”
“Forgiveness is not an occasional act, it is a constant attitude.”