Long before M.L. King Jr. became a global figure, he was a new pastor in Montgomery, AL weighing whether or not to continue into the madness.
Certainly as hindsight would afford, this particular bus boycott would put King on his iconic path. But on the night of January 27, 1956, he wasn't privy to such information - he was simply a weary pastor, husband, and father.
I guess house bombings would do that to a man.
Given King's lack of sleep and the continual threat to his family there was, understandably, a strong pull to abandon the efforts and slip quietly back to Atlanta. To leave the mayhem and ease his way back into his father's pulpit at Ebenezer Baptist Church. Who would blame him for choosing the comforts of Pharaoh's court?
Yet in those morning hours on January 27th, an event occurred that would change the events of King's life. In his own words, "I could hear an inner voice saying to me, "Martin Luther, stand up for righteousness. Stand up for justice. Stand up for truth. And I will be with you even until the end of the world'...I heard the voice of Jesus saying still fight on."
I realize King is a polarizing figure. Yet the magnitude of his work alone should cause one to wonder how God might use His creations.
I'm not debating every nuance of King's theology nor am I championing him as a devote family man - but I am commending him as a man who stood on principle. A man who looked over the landscape of the land and refused to turn a blind eye or a deaf ear. On this day, as it is MLK Day, let us consider how our theological convictions are actually shaping our engagement of culture. In what tangible ways is our perspective of the kingdom shaping and motivating our sense of righteousness, justice, and truth?
If you're interested, I recommend reading more on King. In Martin Luther King Jr: History Maker, Reddie provides a balanced perspective of King's life and efforts.
Grace and Peace
Given King's lack of sleep and the continual threat to his family there was, understandably, a strong pull to abandon the efforts and slip quietly back to Atlanta. To leave the mayhem and ease his way back into his father's pulpit at Ebenezer Baptist Church. Who would blame him for choosing the comforts of Pharaoh's court?
Yet in those morning hours on January 27th, an event occurred that would change the events of King's life. In his own words, "I could hear an inner voice saying to me, "Martin Luther, stand up for righteousness. Stand up for justice. Stand up for truth. And I will be with you even until the end of the world'...I heard the voice of Jesus saying still fight on."
I realize King is a polarizing figure. Yet the magnitude of his work alone should cause one to wonder how God might use His creations.
I'm not debating every nuance of King's theology nor am I championing him as a devote family man - but I am commending him as a man who stood on principle. A man who looked over the landscape of the land and refused to turn a blind eye or a deaf ear. On this day, as it is MLK Day, let us consider how our theological convictions are actually shaping our engagement of culture. In what tangible ways is our perspective of the kingdom shaping and motivating our sense of righteousness, justice, and truth?
If you're interested, I recommend reading more on King. In Martin Luther King Jr: History Maker, Reddie provides a balanced perspective of King's life and efforts.
Grace and Peace
