On the third Monday of each January, we pay homage to the life of the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through a national holiday. That alone says a lot, since upon no other individuals besides George Washington and Christopher Columbus have we bestowed similar honor.
We remember Dr. King primarily for his profound
accomplishments as a civil rights activist. But what was the fuel that drove
his passion? I believe it was his relationship with God. Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr. was also a pastor and preacher of the gospel. His Christian convictions
heavily influenced the content of his speeches and the dream of his heart: “I
have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where
they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their
character.”
Dr. King lived in the Deep South under a system of
segregation known as the Jim Crow laws. This system served as a daily reminder to
blacks that they were in no way equal to whites.
Additionally, attempts by blacks and whites who joined Rev. King in the
marches, to protest the injustices of their day, were met with fierce
opposition. Protesters were subjected to jail time, dogs, high pressure water
hoses, police brutality, house burnings, even murder. Dr. King received death
threats throughout the time of his civil rights work.
But he refused to be deterred. He knew he had a message America needed to hear. He
was blessed with the exceptional ability to effectively deliver that message, and
God had given him the unshakeable courage to lead the fight against the social
injustices of his day.
In
the face of the seemingly insurmountable challenges Dr. King encountered during
the movement, he has left a positive mark upon our nation that cannot be
erased. Hence, a national holiday in his
honor. I submit that if God had not been with him, his phenomenal works to
secure civil rights for all people through nonviolence would not have been
possible. That’s why I say he was a man whom God raised up for such a time as
his.
Copyright
© 2013 by Frank King. All rights reserved.
2 comments:
For sure, the great faith and works of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. are a true inspiration.
I am amazed at how God used Dr. King during his day. He didn't just stay in the comfort of the pulpit. He put feet and action to his message.
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