Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. I have to admit that I never really understood what he did and what was happening at that time in our history until I started attending presentations about his life. One of the local senior groups hosts a wonderful tribute to a great man. I have come to understand more than the civil rights fight that he undertook. The fight for civil rights is still not over as we witnessed this past summer during the unrest that followed the killing of George Floyd and so many others. Dr. King wouldn’t accept the status quo; he wouldn’t back down against great pressure nor would he compromise his beliefs. He spoke all around the world to, what is reported as, millions of people with a simple message – we are all one people. 

Violence even tried to take over our government as people used it to solve their differences or solve their conflicts. Martin Luther King Jr. fought against violence and took a stand to resolve the differences in a non-violent way though not everyone supported that strategy. His speeches were moving and his understanding of the issues was extraordinary yet many agree his work remains unfinished. He used his talents to change the world. Most of us will never reach the stature of Dr. King but we can have a huge impact on the world around us. Each of us has God given talents that we can use to impact those in our lives. Sometimes people are in our lives for a brief moment, like in line at the grocery store and others are people we’ve known for years but we have the opportunity to model the same beliefs that Dr. King did, good Christian values. 

“For in Him you have been enriched in every way – in all your speaking and in all your knowledge…” 1 Corinthians 1:5

I written before a friend who felt he had done things in his life and that he didn’t feel “right with God yet and as long as I’m not right with Him, I can’t be right with anyone”. I used this obvious opportunity to remind him about our savior, Christ Jesus. I reminded him that he was already “right with God” because of what Jesus did for us Easter weekend.  

1 Corinthians 1:7-9 goes on to say “⁷Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gifts as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. ⁸ He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.” We lack nothing; there is nothing we can do or must do to be “right with God”. He knew our weaknesses long before we did and sent us a savior so we could enjoy eternal life with Him. God decided we were worth it long before we could do anything to prove it to Him. So, what does this have to do with Martin Luther King Jr? If we lack nothing, stand up and speak out about the issues that matter. Have the courage to speak when someone doubts their faith, be courageous in fighting for those who can’t fight for themselves, in a non-violent way. Martin Luther King Jr said these two inspiring things that require courage, the kind of courage that God has given you: “The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people” AND “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter”.