MLK, the Church & Justice
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
- MLK (Letter from a Birmingham Jail, 1963)
Martin Luther King, Jr. had it right on so many levels.
I absolutely love the letter that MLK wrote from a Birmingham prison cell in April 1963. He wrote it in response to a statement made by eight white Alabama clergymen on April 12, 1963, titled “A Call For Unity”. The clergymen agreed that social injustices existed but argued that the battle against racial segregation should be fought solely in the courts, not in the streets.
What King writes in response is nothing short of, in my opinion, a prophetic word about our world and the Church. These are words we should take note of. Read on and try to tell me this has no relevance to us today…
Yes, I see the church as the body of Christ. But, oh! How we have blemished and scarred that body through social neglect and through fear of being nonconformists. There was a time when the church was very powerful–in the time when the early Christians rejoiced at being deemed worthy to suffer for what they believed. In those days the church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat that transformed the mores of society. Whenever the early Christians entered a town, the people in power became disturbed and immediately sought to convict the Christians for being “disturbers of the peace” and “outside agitators.”‘ But the Christians pressed on, in the conviction that they were “a colony of heaven,” called to obey God rather than man. Small in number, they were big in commitment. They were too God-intoxicated to be “astronomically intimidated.”
He goes on to say:
But the judgment of God is upon the church as never before. If today’s church does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authenticity, forfeit the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the twentieth century. Every day I meet young people whose disappointment with the church has turned into outright disgust.
I think the only thing irrelevant about this statement is that we’re now in a different century. To say that injustice doesn’t exist today would be foolish. The Church should have a voice against it. May we reflect today on a great leader’s words that are so applicable to us today.
What do you think? Doesn’t this sound like many of our conversations about the Church today?
Absolutely it does, Josh. The question is, which steps do we take to change the direction? No doubt there are injustices, but I also notice how much it ONLY GETS TALKED ABOUT, with no true action taking place. Is it, as King suggested, through fear of non-conformity that we the action is not taken? Is it that too many members look to their leaders instead of using their own leadership potential? I’m not looking to point fingers at anyone other than myself when reading this, however….
Craig, I would say that most people look to leaders to guide them….myself included. We must remember that God has gifted us uniquely to be a part of his body, the Church. If we were to get literal with the body reference, I would say that it would resemble someone who’s limbs had gone asleep. They have no physical handicap that would keep them from walking, but transmissions to the brain have been altered. Sure, you can tell them to move, but nothing happens.
So, I think leadership is key here. I also believe that most people have more leadership qualities than they would like to admit. We, as believers, have the Holy Spirit inside of us. If we feel passionate about an injustice for whatever reason, it is probably because we’ve been prompted by Him to do something….”leader” or not.
Good thoughts, man.
“We, as believers, have the Holy Spirit inside of us. If we feel passionate about an injustice for whatever reason, it is probably because we’ve been prompted by Him to do something….”leader” or not”
I think you really hit the nail on the head with this one. I did not mean to infer that all were equipped with leadership gifts (although I could see where my wording would state differently) as much as there seems to be a lack of action from the majority, yet a lot of vocal discontentment. I find myself in this boat much more than I care to admit – guess if it is to start somewhere…….
No, I was tracking with you on that thought, and I think you’re right. I agree that not everyone has the gift of leadership as well. However, with the Holy Spirit we have prompting, discernment and a voice of reason.
I, too, know this boat. My seat is the second one on your left.