Does Dr King Mean Anything Today?

bySis

1.3K followers

5 years ago

Happy Martin Luther King Day!

I hope many of you have the day off of work. I hope you take some time today to reflect on Dr King and what he truly stood for. I hope you also consider the way he stood. Here was a good man who had a dream that all people should recognize that we are all created equal before God. We have different talents, colors, strengths, abilities...but our humanness is the same. We all have the right to exist, the right to speak, the right to work, the right to learn. In these we also have the responsibility to protect the helpless, to serve others, to use wisdom when we speak, to use our talents to build up other people.

Life is a constant struggle to find a balance between ourselves and the greater good. Life is a struggle to choose kindness and strength, when a harsh word and a brash act are easier. There is a reason that Dr King has a national holiday, and the black panthers are considered thugs by most. They had the same goals, but Dr King chose to be kind and civil and respectful, in the face of ugliness and dishonor. He rose up, and in so doing he elevated the conversation, and changed the politics of his day. With dignity and responsibility, he led people to see that black folks were respectable, responsible, honorable people. Not ignorant, fickle, prown to violence or sub par in any way.

He didn't want anyone to be 'back of the bus'. He didn't want any person group to get special treatment either. He supported people being free to work to provide for their families and support their communities, without being infringed on by the government or other people. He supported all folks having the right to vote. He also supported people being educated to be able to make informed choices. He lived in the south. There were a lot of poor white people who were treated just as shabbily as the black folks. I believe he was just as adamant, that these folks be treated with respect and dignity. People were intimidated away from voting places, or enticed to vote against their beliefs for money and trinkets. That is wrong. People should vote for people who truly are helping our communities and country, not just vote for folks who will 'give me stuff'. Regardless of party or color, we should be voting to build up the place we live. We should be finding common ground at work, at school, in church and on the street. Start meeting people. Start making eye contact with strangers. Start honest conversations with people you don't look like. We all have way more in common than you think!

I hope you will reflect on this today. How can you elevate the conversation? How can you be a beacon of light and right in your sphere of influence? How can your actions going forward reflect your true heart deep beliefs?