Christian Thoughts from Dr. King’s “Letter From Birmingham Jail”
When it pertains to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., today's society is always quick to speak about equality. It is one of his great accomplishments and he died for his ideology that all humankind was created equally in God’s image. With that said, I want to discuss something about Dr. King that seems to have been forgotten. His faith and trust in the one true living God were unshakable as he proceeded to take on the inhumanities of his time. As I read his letter, I can feel the heart felt words of a man who has placed complete trust in God to deliver him and his people from evil. His faith could be compared to Moses when he placed his hand over the red sea. He knew and trusted that in the end, evil would not prevail. Moses also sings of this victory in Exodus 15:2 (KJV), The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him” (Nelson, 2017). He was a highly intelligent, humble, and respectful man throughout his letter. He displayed the truest form of being Christ-like in an utterly horrific time for black Americans.
The letter clearly reflects his feelings about brotherhood. This is something he mentions several times as he refers to his fellow people. The word in his view was not just that of black Americans, but also Christians of any descent. He expressed his disappointment in the church, in which some of these failures still hold relevant to the day and hour we live in. Dr. Kings humble words to the church, “I say this as a minister of the gospel, who loves the church; who was nurtured in its bosom; who has been sustained by its spiritual blessings and who will remain true to it as long as the cord of life shall lengthen” (King Jr., 1964). The word of God has clear instructions for the church to love everyone and to treat others with the upmost respect. Dr. King felt the church had let him down by not showing support for the black community and the brotherhood and sisterhood of true born-again Christians. He would have died side by side with anyone for a just cause. His dedication to the preservation of human rights and the healing of this great country should always be on display in the name of the God that he served so valiantly.
Martin Luther King Jr was a brilliant, God-fearing man who gifted respect to others in accordance with biblical teachings. The bible has many passages on respect and loving thy neighbor as the one in Matthew 5:43-44, “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Nelson, 2017). Dr. King was well versed and understood the concept that loving one's neighbor was not just about one's physical neighbor, but every individual human personality you encounter. He spoke out tirelessly against injustice, which is mankind's inability to love others in a Christ-like manner. He said it best in his letter, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” (King Jr., 1964). He also continued to use manners like “sirs” and “fellow clergyman,” when others would be consumed by hatred and animosity. He sought to earn respect for his people, his family, himself, and true Christians, no matter the color.
He demonstrated and protested for freedom in what was supposed to be a free country. For many in America, this country has not always been free. I am a man from indigenous decent and can attest firsthand to the neglect and mistreatment of individuals from other cultures. Freedom is fought for vigorously and is the life blood of America as Dr. King says confidently in his letter, “We will win our freedom because the sacred heritage of our nation and the eternal will of God are embodied in our echoing demands” (King Jr., 1964). God left man to curate the earth, working, eating, and worshipping arm and arm with one another and Dr. King fought for these God given rights until his last breath. More so than not, Dr. King envisioned more than living without being beaten, raped, cursed, and trampled. He envisioned an America where true friendships in Christ could flourish, and human hearts could intertwine in the mercy and grace of God's love.
Citations
King Jr., M. L. (1964). Why We Can't Wait. (Chapter 5, page 85). Letter from Birmingham Jail. Harper & Row.
Nelson, T. (2017). King James Version Study Bible. Full Color Edition. Liberty University
