Dr. Martin Luther King jr.
He has been a hero of mine since I was a child. His legacy authentically embodies social justice. As a man of God, he drew upon the teachings of Jesus Christ to mobilize the civil rights movement and to ensure change. Black Christians during that era understood the power of the gospel to transform their social and political situations. Yes, they knew the power of prayer and scripture. He worked with faith and forgiveness - principles of the Bible, to lead his people.
And there are so many inspirational and thought-provoking quotes from Dr. Martin Luther King jr. such as this one here, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
We cannot say we are advocates of social justice and then turn a blind eye when the mistreatment of others is in plain sight. We cannot call ourselves allies and then nod in agreement with injustices because we believe that we will benefit politically. What’s the point? The day we stay silent is the day we acknowledge that we are indeed oppressors with masks walking with hypocrisy and pride.
In another quote, Dr. King says “I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.” Forgiveness is such a difficult concept. When you forgive, you heal your own pain and leave those that oppress you to cope with what they have done to you. When God asks us to forgive our enemies, it is because indeed, he knows best. Releasing the burden is a gift you give to yourself – let God fight it out for you, step in and heal you.
He lived out the true meaning of his name KING. There is no book, no social media post nor any other piece of work that can fully speak to what he has done for the world and how God worked through him. It will never truly be goodbye because his exceptional legacy is what we are left with.
Let me leave you with one last quote from Dr. Martin Luther King jr., “I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.”
AMEN
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