Claiborne and Haw collaborate for the Magnus Opus of Social Justice. Whimsical, delightful, profound.
40 Years Ago Today
"But as I continued to think about the matter I gradually gained a bit of satisfaction from being considered an extremist. Was not Jesus an extremist in love - "love your enemies, bless them that curse you, pray from them that despitefully use you." Was not Amos an extremist for justice - "Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like a might stream." Was not Paul an extremist for the gospel of Jesus Christ - "I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus." Was not Martin Luther an extremist - "Here I stand; I can do none other so help me God." Was not John Bunyan an extremist - "I will stay in jail to the end of my days before I make a butchery of my conscience." Was not Abraham Lincoln an extremist - "This nation cannot survive half slave and half free." Was not Thomas Jefferson an extremist - "We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal." So the question is not whether we will be extremist but what kind of extremist will we be. Will we be extremists for hate or will we be extremists for love? Will we be extremists for the cause of justice? In that dramatic scene on Calvary's hill three men were crucified. We must not forget that all three were crucified for the same crime - the crime of extremism. Two were extremists for immorality, and thusly fell below their environment. The other, Jesus Christ, was an extremist for love, truth and goodness, and thereby rose above his environment. So, after all, maybe the South, the nation and the world are in dire need of creative extremists."
40 years ago today Martin Luther King's voice was silenced, but his words ring out forever.
Selah.
[rhymes with kerouac]
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Reader Comments (4)
a friend sent me this yesterday.....I hope you enjoy it as much as i did.
my youngest daughter is 11.
she knows some words of dr. king.
she knows some words of Jesus her Lord.
but probably not one from of the other men you have mentioned. maybe mr. lincoln.
martin luther had to overcome a great deal of fear to speak out, but, he was given strength and he said things that made him a target of the hate that comes out of a very broken world. though it is amazing to me to be able to visualize God's power in work like he was doing. it makes me wonder about the power that i can not see happening around me. lives are continually being changed and still need God through those that God will be able to work through.
let us keep our minds and hearts on the Love of God.
and the Love of God is what we will see and do in all that we see and do.
LOVE LIKE HIM
G.B.U.
Michael <>< <>< <><