We learn from Scripture that unfortunately the threads of prejudice run deep in humanity. Sodom and Gomorrah ill-treats the angels visiting in their midst, the Egyptians enslave the Israelites, the Israelites who return from exile mistreat their own kin who stayed, the Samaritans. Jesus is looked down for being from Nazareth. And even the early Christians were not sure whether to let Gentiles into their midst.
And yet Scripture tells us to do otherwise. God constantly tells the Israelites to treat the strangers in their midst well, for they were once strangers in the land of Egypt. Ruth, a foreigner, is the ancestor of the great King David, and thus the ancestor of our Lord as well. And Paul tells us in Galatians 3:28 that "there is neither Jew nor Greek, male nor female, slave nor free, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus."
Martin Luther King, Jr. was one of many in the Civil Rights Movement who sought to follow the mandate of Scripture. He is one of many who sought to fight against racism and prejudice. That is why we honor him, because he was doing the Lord's work.
Just because we can remember the great history of Martin Luther King, Jr. and all those who fought against racism and violence in the Civil Right Movement doesn't mean we are where we need to be yet. That does not mean we should stop moving forward. There is always room to move forward. There is always more we can do to fight prejudice and racism in our hearts and in our communities. The bonds of racism and prejudice run deep, and they are hard to let go of, and I include myself in this reality. We must always be mindful when we see these bonds creeping up in ourselves and others so that we can cut them off, so that we can truly see all as one in Christ Jesus.
This isn't a call to make you wallow in your guilt and sin. Instead it is a call to be vigilant. We move forward in becoming better people not by dwelling on our mistakes, but by recognizing them, working to fix them, and moving forward in our new life, just as we always move forward in our life with Jesus.
Remember Martin Luther King, Jr. Remember the great work that he and others have done. Don't let that work die, but keep working so that we can all move forward together as one.
And yet Scripture tells us to do otherwise. God constantly tells the Israelites to treat the strangers in their midst well, for they were once strangers in the land of Egypt. Ruth, a foreigner, is the ancestor of the great King David, and thus the ancestor of our Lord as well. And Paul tells us in Galatians 3:28 that "there is neither Jew nor Greek, male nor female, slave nor free, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus."
Martin Luther King, Jr. was one of many in the Civil Rights Movement who sought to follow the mandate of Scripture. He is one of many who sought to fight against racism and prejudice. That is why we honor him, because he was doing the Lord's work.
Just because we can remember the great history of Martin Luther King, Jr. and all those who fought against racism and violence in the Civil Right Movement doesn't mean we are where we need to be yet. That does not mean we should stop moving forward. There is always room to move forward. There is always more we can do to fight prejudice and racism in our hearts and in our communities. The bonds of racism and prejudice run deep, and they are hard to let go of, and I include myself in this reality. We must always be mindful when we see these bonds creeping up in ourselves and others so that we can cut them off, so that we can truly see all as one in Christ Jesus.
This isn't a call to make you wallow in your guilt and sin. Instead it is a call to be vigilant. We move forward in becoming better people not by dwelling on our mistakes, but by recognizing them, working to fix them, and moving forward in our new life, just as we always move forward in our life with Jesus.
Remember Martin Luther King, Jr. Remember the great work that he and others have done. Don't let that work die, but keep working so that we can all move forward together as one.