Martin Luther King, Jr.’s inspiration for Christian living!
“Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” Isaiah 40:4-5
Tomorrow we will observe an important national holiday: Martin Luther King Day. Not only is he a pioneer for the American Civil Rights movement, he also was a proponent of Christianity, weaving the bible into many of his iconic speeches! This is a great day to think about what principles Martin Luther King Jr. stood for, and how his Christianity guided him to act on his convictions for justice.
In his book, Why We Can’t Wait, Martin Luther King, Jr. outlined some commandments for cultural change. These “rules” were what he wanted each participant in the Birmingham protest to abide by.
- Meditate daily on the teachings and life of Jesus.
- Remember always that the nonviolent movement in Birmingham seeks justice and reconciliation—not victory.
- Walk and talk in the manner of love, for God is Love.
- Pray daily to be used by God in order that all men might be free.
- Sacrifice personal wishes in order that all men might be free.
- Observe with both friend and foe the ordinary rules of courtesy.
- Seek to perform regular service for others and for the world.
- Refrain from the violence of fist, tongue, or heart.
- Strive to be in good spiritual and bodily health.
- Follow the directions of the movement and of the captain on a demonstration.
These are great suggestions to give your Church members, not only to connect them to the National holiday, but also so that they can reflect on the Christian nature of Martin Luther King, Jr.
