A few reflections on what my children are learning about a very important person in our history. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. When I asked them, who Dr. King was this is what they told me:
Kaylynn came home from school and announced, "Today in school we learned about this king who had a dream. There were people with light skin and people with dark skin. They didn't get to do the same things and that's not fair!"
Ethan said, "[that Dr. King] you know how black people used to have to do all the work and whites got all the free stuff, so he freed the blacks and now they don't have to work anymore!"
Hmmmmmm....looks like we have some 'splainin' to do!
How would I answer the question, who is Dr. King? I believe he was a man that God used in the movement against injustice and oppression. I love that God used a man of the pulpit to deliver some of the greatest messages about injustice in our time. For it is God's word that holds the answers and the direction about oppression and injustice and how we are to judge one another....John 13:35, "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." as King put it "according to the content of our character." Our character is manifested in how we demonstrate our love for one another! Lots of scripture on how we are to love one another...and our love is enabled by God's work of righteousness in us.
This is from Colossians 3:1-17.
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is youra life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
5Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.b 7You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
12Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
...and of course the instruction in 1 Corinthians 13 about love. God's holiness is the standard for our character, "You shall be holy as I am holy." 1Peter 1:16 and God's word gives us rules for such holy living. I believe that this is what Dr. King meant about "our character."
There's a lot of work to do in my life, that's for sure. Help me, LORD, to be an instrument of YOUR peace, of YOUR love, of YOUR righteousness.
No comments:
Post a Comment