“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.”
“There can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love.”
“He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it.”
“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”
This is just a small sampling of the many well-known statements of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. which have inspired millions of people who continue to work for equal justice and who revere non-violent action to bring about social change. King’s Letter from the Birmingham Jail is required reading in college English classes. There’s a national Memorial for him in Washington and yesterday was a national holiday in his honor.
When people are asked to name the most influential leaders of the 20th century, King’s name always appears. His non-violent resistance against segregation is admired around the world. His work for racial justice and economic justice has inspired generations.
But he was not so universally admired prior to his assassination. According to the last Gallup poll conducted prior to his death, his positive rating was at only 32%; 63% rated him negatively.
In the years since his death, the life and work of King has been assessed soberly and honest criticism of his failures has not been lacking. Despite this, he is much more popular today than he was just prior to his death, when many of his personal failings were not widely known.
What changed?
Minds changed. Attitudes changed. Hearts changed.
He didn’t get to see many of the changes for which he advocated. His advocacy cost him his life.
But what if he had stopped his work because it made him unpopular. What if he decided that the sacrifices of safety and security, the threats to his family, the lack of a comfortable quiet life were just too much to endure?
No one would say that we have achieved all that King and the civil rights leaders of the 50’s and 60’s dreamed of and fought for, but they changed the world.
Sometimes Jesus had the adulation of big crowds that forced him to hide out in order to get a moment’s peace. And sometimes even his own disciples fell away from him. At the end, his closest disciple denied knowing him.
You can’t gauge your effectiveness by popularity.
Following Christ and the gospel of peace requires a willingness to go against the flow, to be unpopular and misunderstood.
Love isn’t soft. It’s fiercely demanding of all we have.
Prayer: Holy One, I confess I would rather be comfortable and well-regarded than stand up and be shot down. Help me to put that cowardice to death. Remind me again that it’s better to hear “Well done, good and faithful servant,” than the applause of the crowd. Amen.