Reflections on the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Have you ever had a quote, picture or thought make you stop and drop everything?

Last year, on this day, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s daughter, Bernice, shared a tweet that made me stop and drop everything.

It took a while to truly take it in, think it through (at length), and consider areas of my own life that have plenty room for growth.

Perspective is crucial.  Context is crucial.

Today is crucial.

Here’s the tweet:

Think about that with me for a moment.  

Today, many celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. for his leadership in major portions of the civil rights movement.

I can’t help but wonder…

Would the majority of us have celebrated him 50+ years ago?  According to this statistic… no.

Would I have celebrated him then as I do now? I’d like to think so… but I truly don’t know.

Racism.  Discrimination.  Hate.  

The list goes on and so do these movements.

They live in our hearts, in our minds, in our biases, in our privileges, and if not carefully addressed, they could be what we pass on to our children and those within our layers of influence.

Do we celebrate those who actively fight against these things today?

More importantly - Do we actively fight against these things today?

Disclaimer: I am not pretending to be an expert on any of these thoughts or topics, nor is this only related to race and racial reconciliation. I am a white guy from a fairly suburban area who has had to navigate my own heart with all of this. I’ve held onto hate against people who have hurt me. I’ve had to explore (and continually do so) my role in systemic racism that plays itself out right before my eyes. I’ve had to acknowledge (and continually do so) some of my own privilege. I am not an expert. But I do care about doing my best to be better human every day.

With that in mind, here are 5 things I’ve been personally challenging myself with and am inviting you to consider as we reflect on the incredible life that is honored today.

1) Examine

We need to take time to truthfully and thoroughly examine our hearts.  We should be asking ourselves tough questions such as:

• Am I harboring hate for anyone?

• Do I have biases in my life?

• Have I been empathic?

These questions go beyond the topic of race.  They are practical for all areas of our lives and our leadership. Empathy is something that is heavily lacking in our world today. It is also THE bridge to communicating genuinely with the people around us.

As we examine our heart and our thoughts, search deep into motivating questions of that bring answers as to why you’re feeling the way you’re feeling towards others.

In the spirit of what today stands for, this examination should aim to better ourselves as humans.

2) Extract

If and when we find areas of our heart and mind that are rooted in selfishness or hate, we can start a process of removing them.

• Acknowledge these thoughts exist

• Break repeated, negative thought patterns

• Commit to accountability and action

We’re all aware that it’s one thing to know what to do and another to actually go forward and do it. 

When we pause for long enough, it’s likely that every one of us will find areas in our heart that need to be extracted. Once acknowledged, we can begin the work to stop the cycle. Challenge your own thought process as to why it’s there and make it known that it will not hold a place in your heart any longer. Consistently combat them as they come.

What are some of the best ways to commit to continuously working it out of you? Counseling. Conversation.

The answer is not to run from it or suppress it.  But let’s rid ourselves of it.

Start by taking steps towards accountability with it.

3) Educate

As mentioned earlier, perspective is everything. 

You may have heard the expression of walking a mile in someone else’s shoes.  While it’s a weird thought, what if we truly decided to give it a try? 

What would it be like to literally put ourselves in the shoes of a neighbor? 

What would it be like to see life through their eyes?  

• Look

• Listen

• Learn

We need not look far and wide - resources are not lacking. 

If we want to learn about a different perspective, culture, religion, political view - we can find the material but will we make the time?  

Today, our timelines will be filled with quotes and tributes to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It’s really amazing! However…

I don’t know about you but I often don’t quote people I’m not overly familiar with.

How many books of his have we read? How many sermons of his have we listened to? It’s a humbling thought when someone we honor so dearly is known so vaguely. We should all take time to learn more about what made his life so memorable and worth honoring! *click here for resources

It comes down to this question: Will we listen?  Will we truly hear what other voices have to say? 

Sometimes, we get so buried in our biases or set in our ways that we can’t even open our ears (or hearts and mind) to what someone different from us has to say.  *If you find yourself struggling with this at times, move back two spaces, and start with step 1 again.

One resource, in the spirit of today, is a book called, “I’m Still Here: Black Dignity In a World Made for Whiteness” by Austin Channing Brown.  It’s a book my wife first read and shared.  *If you are even remotely upset with anything in that title… move back two spaces and start at step 1 again.

That’s one. There are thousands. Let’s be learners!

4) Engage

In order for us to understand the depths of honoring a life dedicated to human decency and dignity, we should move from theoretical to practical.  We have to step out of our comfort zone and sit across the table from someone different.  

The table may be metaphorical in a lingering pandemic, but we need to start engaging in society. 

Your engagement may begin with following someone on social media you never thought you would “follow.”  That’s a start! 

Your engagement may be shutting down conversations you normally let happen around you.

• Start small

• Start now

Engaging in racial reconciliation or intervening in hateful conversation is not something that should wait. 

It’s also not something you have to be qualified for (ie: who has two thumbs and is an early 30’s white dude writing about it right now… this guy).

It’s something we have to recognize and act on.  Every one of us can do that today. 

May I add a few words of encouragement I’ve had to say in my own heart?  “Get over yourself.”

5) Evolve 

Nobody wants to be stuck.  Even people who live their lives doing the same exact thing over and over again unit they leave this earth want to know deep down that they’ve advanced in some way, shape, or form.  

If we start practicing these things in a daily manner, we can’t help but evolve as a person. 

We can’t help but become a more well-rounded human who has respect and love for our neighbor in ways that honor the man and movement we celebrate today.  

Make moves to make difference.  Today.

Happy MLK Day!