Martin Luther King, Jr. changed the course of my life....

I'll never forget reading the Letters from a Birmingham Jail in 1998. After working in churches for several years and experiencing all the difficulties, politics and even splits that come with the "job" I was truly questioning my future as a "professional" minister. I was part of a club of young "change" agents, so we were called by the religious establishment. We felt called to work from within the system to slowly effect progress. In fact, that's what we called ourselves: "Progressives." Most Elders called us Liberals. It was, and I assume still is, a mess. Then I read King's response to a bunch of religious leaders in his day, a powerful and amazing declaration of vision! As I read something began to rise up in me, a sort of identification with his struggles for change, and the extent to which he was willing to go in order to see his vision a reality. You see, his adversaries were encouraging him to just wait; change will come in due time, they encouraged. But King was far from content with such advice. And so he wrote:

Human progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability; it comes through the tireless efforts of men willing to be co workers with God, and without this hard work, time itself becomes an ally of the forces of social stagnation. (http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html)  

At that point I knew I couldn't just sit still and wait. I have great respect and admiration for my good friends who are still working everyday for that slow change. I pray for them. And I believe they are used by God for His purposes, when they follow His Spirit and work for that change. I understand their struggles first hand and know they want to see God's Kingdom come. But I had to go a different route, one really less traveled, and one I feel is a great leap forward in the change so many of my friends in churches long to see. Actually, and honestly, I'm still trying to go that route. There is still so far to go. For me.

I thank God for the courage and convictions of Martin Luther King, Jr. His belief has changed a nation. I only wish we could have one ounce of the energy for God's desire as did he. King wanted social freedom. God wants us to be free spiritually. The question is how far are we really willing to go -- to march, to sit, to ride, to stand, to preach, and to die for this promised freedom in Christ!? How far?