Reflections on the Faith of
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“… I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. 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! And 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”

1 John 4:20-21
If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers.
 
On this the celebrated birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. we remember his contributions, not merely from the immense social aspect of his civil and human rights leadership, but that he bore fruit by the great measure of faith and persistence in his love for his fellow brothers and sisters, in Christ and in all of humanity. Likewise, Dr. King espoused the great commandment to treat one another as we would want to be treated (Matt. 7:12) and likewise he lived out the scripture from 1 John 4:20-21 that reminds us that if we have love for God we must have love for one another, our fellow believers in Christ.

Dr. King was thrust onto the world stage by his calling and profession to follow Christ and in a matter of years (from his youth at age 14 to his last year of life at age 39) he walked toward, not away from, ‘troubles on every side’ (2 Cor. 4:8) while being prepared and equipped to answer the question “What are you willing to die for?” In fact, it was never a matter of ‘what’ but of ‘whom’.

Jesus in John 15:13-14, teaches “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you.” In honor of Dr. King, we remember that he laid down his life not solely for long awaited basic human and civil rights and principles, but he laid down his life for his friends, because of faith in Greater Love, Jesus the Christ.
Let us love one another.
 
Marci Matthews, MA
Certified Deacon Candidate, UMC

 
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John 15:12-17
12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
14 You are My friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because everything I have learned from My Father I have made known to you. 16You did not choose Me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will remain—so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you. 17 This is My command to you: Love one another.