Dear Friends,

This May I was in Atlanta for a preaching conference. While in the city I made a special trip to the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Complex. The complex includes the home in which MLK was born. The National Park Service actually bought all the properties on the street and restored them to their 1920 ’ s appearance in order to show what Atlanta ’ s black “ Sweet Auburn ” neighbor looked like at that time. Also as part of the site is the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church to which the King family was closely connected. A Visitor Center and the King Center both have extensive interpretative displays on King and the Civil Rights movement. The historic gives way to the hallowed, however, as one comes to view Dr. King ’ s stone sarcophagus on an island within a large reflecting pool by which burns an eternal flame. Because I revere the legacy of the man, I felt privileged to pay my respects at his graveside.

At the King Center, which is devoted to the study of non-violent social change, there was among the free literature a pledge card to “ Make Dr. King ’ s Dream Come True. ” This pledge card did not ask for money. Rather it asked for commitment. It read:

I pledge to honor Martin Luther King, Jr. ’ s life and nonviolent work by helping make this world a better, more just place for all people.

I will:

· Respect all people
· Live a life of loving, not hating
· Choose patience over anger, non-violence over force
· Actively help promote freedom, justice, and world peace

There was then a line for a signature and date.

There is no doubt Martin Luther King Jr was who he was and accomplished what he did through his knowledge of the Savior and the grace of God. Martin Luther King Jr. was a great man and his life is an inspiration. But brother Martin would be the first to tell you the first pledge in life we need to make is to Jesus Christ. Dr. King ’ s dream is Jesus ’ waking reality and all the goals of the above will fall into place if we, like MLK, look to Jesus.

Let us give thanks for the saints and heroes of our faith. Let us maintain their memory and attend their graves with honor. But let us remember it is the Son of Man who ultimately had no grave, who gives the vision and the courage so that we can all make commitments to a better and more just world.

I n H is S ervice,

Frank

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