A Message on this MLK Day to My Brothers and Sisters

Hello and Happy MLK Holiday to My Brothers & Sisters in the Athens Church of Christ!

First, let me say how much Meredith and I missed being with all of you for Church on Sunday. We pray that you made the most of the time, having church in your homes and/or online. The Howards and VanBuerens, together, hosted a neighborhood house church. It was so encouraging as we had several of our neighbors come over to worship, fellowship, and hear a great lesson from Stephen on the meaning of eternal life!

Secondly, I wanted to take a moment to recognize the significance of this day, which honors the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Doctor King will always be remembered as one of history’s greatest heroes for the leadership he provided during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s & 60s. His efforts helped shine a light on the evil and injustice of racism and racial inequality which was (and often still is) too easily tolerated in our world.

But as a disciple of Jesus, I also admire Dr. King for another reason. I admire the fact that, no matter how challenging the journey became, Dr. King would not abandon his moral principles regarding non-violence and the rejection of hate. Though criticized by some for not being militant enough in his approach, Dr. King recognized that hate and abandoning non-violence would only undermine his cause. In the end, his convictions proved right and paved the way for progress–a progress that we pray continues even to this day and going forward.

As disciples, there is a great lesson we can learn from Dr. King’s example. At times, the way of Christ becomes challenging, not resulting in the changes and progress we long to see in ourselves and others as quickly as we want. We can be tempted to abandon God’s word and take matters into our own hands, following our own emotions and the ways of this world because we have become dissatisfied and impatient. But this is when we must trust God most, believing in the example and teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is when we must remember that if we will just hold to our convictions, be righteous, and imitate Jesus, we can be confident that our powerful, sovereign, loving, and faithful God will lead us to victory and our eternal reward in the end.

Have a safe and encouraging MLK holiday, and God bless you all!

Kindred