The Stand – Race

January 20, 2025

We the people now celebrate the life and influence of Martin Luther King, the week of January 20, 2025.

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King was in so many ways a great man, a leader, a visionary. Dr. King, of course, was African American and determined to be a positive influence, a catalyzing, changing factor in the difficult task of race relations. So much of black and white relations were hostile, difficult, violent, and hateful. The Rev. King, a Christian man, was determined that Christian principles, especially that of LOVE, would be the force, the energy, the divine way to unite all races, especially black and white. Dr. King was a champion of the NON-VIOLENT.

He asked all Americans to do one thing: live up to their very own Constitution. To acknowledge, as the Declaration of Independence so stated, and the Constitution reaffirmed, that all men are created equal, and that there would be liberty, freedom, and justice for all. If Americans lived by that constitutional requirement, racial hatred, division, and inequality would end. The message was right, the man was right. But a racially hateful bullet ended the voice of that messenger of love and peace.

A day was set aside to honor the man and his memory, but the real meaning of Dr. King’s message seems to have lost some of its appeal and meaning. Relationships between races, all races, not just black and white, continue to be strained. Although there is progress, animosity still exists. As one black minister rightly stated, the only real solution to racial problems is:

THE LOVE OF JESUS CHRIST.

All men and women are created equal and endowed by their Creator with:

INALIENABLE RIGHTS.

These rights and freedoms cannot be taken away by any government or person because they are given to every human being by God Almighty. Among these rights are the First Amendment freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition.

Black churches thrive as the message of the gospel, centered on love, prevails. Dialogue, understanding, and tolerance are increasing, but there is no substitute for respectful one-on-one dialogue. Such interactions can lead to friendship and a breaking down of old prejudices.

There is camaraderie and respect in sports, education, and especially Christian education. Men and women are learning about each other, and one human being at a time, things are changing for the better. America must remain one nation, indivisible:

UNDER GOD WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

A childhood song captures this truth:

JESUS LOVES THE LITTLE CHILDREN
ALL THE CHILDREN OF THE WORLD
RED AND YELLOW, BLACK AND WHITE
THEY ARE PRECIOUS IN HIS SIGHT
JESUS LOVES THE LITTLE CHILDREN OF THE WORLD

This song’s message and the love of Christ are the answers to the remaining problems of race relations. Will you pray for this to happen?

Seek an opportunity to have dialogue with someone of another race. It will be an unforgettable experience.