Martin Luther King

MARTIN LUTHER KING

Today is the day, forty years ago, that Martin Luther King was shot. When I consider his life and the lives of those who were involved in that movement, I am deeply moved at their courage and the commitment to truth and to justice.

I believe, that to a genuine Christian, injustice is one of the hardest things to deal with. It goes against everything that we are and when we witness it, no matter where, no matter what the context, it is always agonizing to our souls. We instinctively begin to march in lockstep behind the forces that would right a wrong.

The reason we do this is because we are recipients of the outcome of the greatest injustice known to man. When Jesus was lynched, when Jesus was dragged in front of men who cared nothing for justice, who had already decided what to do with Him, then we know that His Holy Spirit burns within us with a spirit that identifies with all lynched men. We identify with injustice, wherever it would take place around the world.

When I see the old footage of the peace marches and I see vicious dogs being set on innocent people, my spirit rises up within me. Oh how I would rather take my place in the march and face danger and death at every turn, than to be found behind the curtain, safe, but somehow part of the baying crowd who sought to do harm to those who marched.

When I saw the contorted faces of those whose hearts were filled with hatred, murder in their eyes for men, woman and children, just because of the color of their skin, it makes me shudder. Yet here is the most glorious and brilliant part of Martin Luther Kings movement……..non-violence.

This is the strategy of the sermon on the mount. This is the universal principal of not returning evil for evil. This is the strategy of Calvary itself. It is so sad that so few Christians move in this glorious freedom. Freedom from revenge, freedom from the chains of hatred, freedom from the bondage of bitterness. Only those, who move in this freedom can love with a supernatural love, everything else is of this earth and is from the flesh.

When I witnessed the news-clips from those days of the civil rights movement, men and woman coming under withering attacks from the forces of evil and they simply lay down in the streets and refused to fight back, I witnessed true strength. This is the power of God. Every part of our humanity screams out for people to defend themselves. It is in our very DNA , the gene of self defence and survival.

So when Jesus begins to teach His people with a series of “You have heard that it was said…………but I say to you,” then He begins to teach revolution. Not a revolution against civil authorities, although it can have that outcome, but a revolution against the very essence of sinful man. Every part of self , every corrupted gene in the human body is taken on and exposed on the Mount. Jesus gives us the strategy to destroy the wickedness of the flesh and to become new creatures in Him.

So when our enemy spits in our face, slaps it, then we turn the other cheek. When he assaults us, compels us, we do not resist, but rather we surrender to the flesh and return love. Even as I write this my own flesh rises up. It so goes against my humanity, my manliness, my Scottishness. Yet my Jesus told me that if my enemy compels me to carry a load for a mile, I was to carry it for two. If he steals my coat I was to give him my cloak also. Can I give you a modern day example?I warn you, this will be rough, especially for men.

You are out for the evening with your wife. You leave the restaurant and head towards your car. Out of the shadows a man steps forward and punches you in the face. You are knocked to the ground. Your wife is screaming. He leans down and takes your wallet from your inside pocket. He laughs and turns slowly to walk away. You reach into your pocket and grab the $20 bill that you have there and you say sir, you forgot this and you hand him the $20 bill.

Does this story not assault every part of who you are as a man? This author does not claim this kind of strenght. Yet we know that Jesus on the cross was not without His power. We know that at any point in time and space that Jesus could have defended Himself, He could have destroyed the forces that were ripping Him apart. Yet, the very people that were ripping Him apart, you and me, were the people that He had came to save. “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” He rendered unto them love rather than hatred. That love was a demonstration, not a feeling. His love was proven by the fact that He did not strike back, His love was proven by the fact that He could strike back but chose not to. It was in the choice not to avenge, not to render evil for evil that evil was exposed, humiliated and destroyed.

We know Martin Luther King today, this country is changed today, because of this policy of non-violence. Many of the chains that bound us as a people were broken because some chose to lie down in the street and not fight back. The people that were exposed were the ones who were fighting and screaming and filled with evil.

Who do you know today who deserves your wrath? Who has wronged you today ? In your own personal story, which force is going to win out? Will you go to your death beds having lived a life of defending yourselves and your rights? If you truly want to see victory in your life, if reconciliation is truly a goal of yours will you employ the ways that seem so right to you? Or, will you go back to the sermon on the mount, will you revisit Calvary and learn from the Master of your soul.

I have a dream this day. I dream that men and woman of God around the world would rise up and take their rightful place in the Kingdom of God. If that means death to the flesh, or perhaps even literal death, then is it not better to die for our God in the glorious cause of freedom than to live out our lives in mediocrity? Better to only live one more day, but live that day a free man, than to live forty more years in the shadow of fear. Better to die in the street a chain breaker, than to be found cowering behind the door with a gun, ready to shoot anyone who “tries to get me and mine.”
http://scottishwarriors.wordpress.com

I love that story sojourner, it is the power of God and a man at peace in the midst of the storm........Frank

"A very attainable dream in Christ Jesus. Oh to be complete in Him."

Very attainable dream brother, i totaly agree.................Frank

truly in many regards, a black Moses!

your right, no black preacher in the mainstream that I know of that is currently preaching such awesome counsel of God...

pray bros

Blessings to all as we continue to prayer and and to ask God for HIS burden

May the Lord raise up Godly leaders, men who fear God more than they fear men, in all communities...................Frank

http://scottishwarriors.wordpress.com/

Hi Ginnyrose

Let me address two issues. Number one, I have no idea if Martin Luther King committed adultery. Here is the extent of what I wrote about Martin Luther King in my piece ....

"When I consider his life and the lives of those who were involved in that movement, I am deeply moved at their courage and the commitment to truth and to justice."

I stand by those remarks. What I was adressing, and what I know to be facts, was the people, just ordinary folk from the south, attacking innocent people. I witnessed that my self on the old news reel from the days. I also saw the national guard lining the streets because some kids wanted to go to High school. I saw ordinary housewives, their faces contorted by hatred, spew out evil on these kids. I saw signs stating that no blacks were allowed in establishments. These are all facts, what is actually known, and what is a fact and what my piece was about was the non-resisting part of the civil rights movement, led by Dr King, which were principals from the sermon on the mount.

So, the word revere is your word Ginnyrose, not mine. Perhaps if you re-read the piece, you will see my point was that if we follow the teachings and example of Jesus, vicious evil is exposed and chains are broken............Frank
PS..The fact that the "Church," was segragated, especially in the south, is a disgrace and a shame to all who profess to be Christians. The least segragated place in this country should be our places of worship, the fact that it was not is a sign of the victory of the world over the church.
http://scottishwarriors.wordpress.com

Ginnyrose....Not quite sure how you acertain speed. I merely answered, fully I thought, the points that you raised. I revere no man, I believe words to be important, and you placed a word on my lips that I did not use. I do revere the Lord Jesus and "all," of his teachings.

I am not sure I want to get into a debate about how black people were treated in the South, I believe , or believed that was self evident to most Americans, perhaps you have a different opinion?

Let me say that I also admire Winston Churchill, a man that spent a lot of his time drunk. I also admire General Paton, a man with a few problems but a brilliant general. To that list I would add Ghandi.

My piece was about how does one, as a Christian, respond to hatred, evil, bigotry and wickedness, not about Dr Kings spiritual status or his sins, that I know nothing about, nor care for that matter.

PS, Perhaps you read my piece from a different perspective than most?

Being a southerner I've learned I can never win when entering a discussion like this because those not from the south have a preconceived notion about all of us... which is nothing more than prejudice. Kind of interesting to think about, isnt it?

Christian comedian/commentator Brad Stine got it right when he said there are two classes of people in America of whom it is not "politically incorrect" to make fun of... chide... malign... and mis-characterize... Southerners and Christians. I'm both (and proud of it).

Krispy

" those not from the south have a preconceived notion about all of us... which is nothing more than prejudice."

Krispy, I dont care what geographical point on a map that anyone comes from, I find it quite bizarre that Christians would, the only thing that matters is the conduct of those who call upon the name of Jesus. By the way, I formerly came from Scotland, I now belong to, and get my identity from belonging to the new Jerusalem. I am a citizen of a kingdom yet to come, and of that, I am very proud..............Frank

PS, As an aside, did anyone get the irony in the quote?

By the way, I formerly came from Scotland...

No offense brother, but I'm not surprised you dont understand what I am saying, but I am glad you're here!

And I agree with the rest of your post, however saying I am proud of my family heritage is not as sinful as you're trying to make it sound. :-)

Krispy

Hi Krispy...I do understand what you are saying. I know what it means to very proud of ones heritage, the Scottish are famous for it, which is why I mentioned it :-)

Consider this Krispy, is it possible that I have a more even view of it, since I niether come from the North or the South? Of all the replies that I had on this post, from this venue and others, I only recieved one negative view and that was from Ginnyrose who missed the point of the post altogether. Although the post was entitled Martin Luther King, I only made one reference to him. My post was about the revolution that Jesus brought about, not only socially , but right into the DNA of men. And the sermon on the mount blew everything out of the water, it turned man on his head.

Given your response, which is mild brother, I know :-) I think I see an oversensitivity here which may be indicitive of unfinished business from people of the south, I may be wrong, but this is what I feel. When Ginnyrose condemns Martin Luther King as an unrepentant adulterer, perhaps it would be more useful to look at the Christians of the North and the South and see if there may be any unrepentance in our own hearts for our activities , or lack therof , during the period of apathied(a system of legalized racial segregation )

So, my scenaro would be, if you were a Christian, and you owned a restaurant in downtown Jackson in 1964, would you serve African Americans? If you were a Christian and you were a patron of that restuarant, would you still go there if they refused to serve African Americans? You see, whether the restaurant owner or the patron, we have and had a responsibility to do whatever is right and stand on the side of justice. Jesus would never discriminate against any man , neither should we. So a better question for Ginnyrose may be, has all the churches in her area, who either participated or remained silent while injustice took place, repented? We will never know if Martin Luther King repented before he died, but I am sure that most of the churches that existed then, still exist today and that many of the same people still attend those churches. Better to worry about the beam in our own eye(institutinal racism) than the speck in another brothers eye. ..................Frank

And so was David, he was an adulterer,

Jacob, not a part time liar or deceiver!

Abraham was faithless b4 he listened

Elijah, looked for serious self pity

Moses disobedience prior to entering the promise

Soloman, duhhhhhh!

Peter hypocrite, racist, you name it of him during his lowest moments. A liar a betrayer

Borthers and sisters,

there is this need to demonize MLK Jr, but look a little deeper...

Appolus, i will say this again,

This will be of offense to whomever

Very shallow people look for the discrepancies in others, it is as if we(christians-critics) hate someone whom has stepped out of their comfort zone for God as if we have a jealousy or lack of life within us.

Expand your righteous minds my fellow christians. The scriptures, the good book, our guide or reference details the lives of many fault-filled, backslidden, mistake laden men and women (mostly men)with their deeds and selfish sinful ways....

Let us allow God to be the judge for what we do not truly know the end result of........

Until one of us is anointed with such anointing to separate wheat from tares, we should truly shut up for God's sake.
Rather we should say, what greatness of God to touch a human, a man, a women.... to stand against the wiles of Satan....

In Christ's name