Today I want to honor the life and legacy of a great American: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I’ll always admire Dr. King for being a voice of influence in the civil rights movement in our country. His message of non-violent activism (“We have only our bodies,”) brought to light the brutal racism many African-Americans were enduring in those days. “I have to do this – to expose myself – to bring this hate into the open.” These words were uttered by Dr. King after he’d been knocked to the ground by a rock that hit him in the right temple. We’ve come a long way in the fight for racial equality in this country. We still have a long way to go but I’m thankful for courageous souls such as Dr. King. He was far from a perfect man, but he leaves behind a legacy of equality and non-violence. Our nation is a better place because of this great man.

In Philip Yancey’s Soul Survivor, he quotes from King’s last speech the night before his assassination:

Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over, and I’ve seen the promised land.
I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the promised land.
So I’m happy tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. “Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.”

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

As a postscript, I commend to you Scott Freeman’s stirring tribute to Dr. King.