Services every Sunday at 7:00 P.M.
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Services every Sunday at 7:00 P.M.
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"Say that day..." 1/14/07 Isaiah 58:6-9 Martin Luther King Day On this Sunday each year we must pause to celebrate the life of a man, a prophet, who gave his life for others: Martin Luther King, Jr. He was indeed a leader, a Nobel Peace prize winner He received hundreds of awards and honors, but in his own words, that was not what he wanted to be remembered for. He wanted to be remembered for his commitment to serving others... a commitment that did not waver in the face of opposition; a commitment that did not stop because he was put in jail, again and again; a commitment that did not step back because he had a wife and children to take care of; a commitment that did not shrink in the face of insurmountable odds; a commitment that he kept even when he knew it would probably end in death. The dream had to live because it was in his soul, because it burned in his heart each time he saw the eyes of his people, each time some one faced injustice, each time an act of violence happened. He could not, would not, stop believing that there was a better way… a way of peace and justice, a way that served those around him, a way that would make a difference for the future. And so in his own words this is the way he wanted to be remembered: "I'd like somebody to mention that day, that Martin Luther King, Jr. tried to give his life serving others. I'd like for somebody to say that day, that Martin Luther King Jr. tried to love somebody. I want you to be able to say that day, that I did try to feed the hungry. And I want you to be able to say that day, that I did try, in my life, to clothe those who were naked. I want you to say, on that day, that I did try, in my life to visit those who were in prison. I want you to say that I tried to love and serve humanity. Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was drum major for justice; say that I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter. I won't have any money to leave behind. I won't have the fine and luxurious things of life to leave behind. But I just want to leave a committed life behind." Someone ask me this week what I was preaching about tonight. And I answered them by saying "it's Martin Luther King Jr. Sunday. I can't pass up a chance to preach about peace and justice." In my words, by my actions, I try to live each day committed to serving others. I know I'm not Martin Luther King Jr., but I can, each day, do something that helps another person and thus changes our world. Each of us has the opportunity to live a life committed to serving one another. Each of us can ask God to place people in our lives who need us. Each of us can pray for peace as we act in nonviolent ways. Each of us can love ourselves as we respect and treat one another with dignity. When we sit down at the dinner table, we can remember the hungry and help with the Food Bank. When we enter the doors of our home, we can remember the homeless and call up a shelter and ask how we can help. When we are gathered with friends and loved ones, we can remember the lonely, and make a phone call to someone who needs to hear our voice. When we experience injustice, we remember injustice done to others, and reach out to help those who are hurting. When we have a day of good health, we remember those who are ill in our midst and those children and families hundreds of miles away who are dying of AIDS. When we pray at night thanking God for all of our blessings, we remember those who are less fortunate, and get up the next day and serve those who come into our lives. As we serve others we live a life committed to peace and justice. So tomorrow take the time to remember the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. and your commitment to seek peace and justice in all you do. We begin a moment at a time, then a day at a time, then a week and before we know it we are living a life that will be remembered. We won't be remembered for all the material things we left behind. We won't be remembered for all our degrees and awards or where we went to school. People will say that day, he was a person who visited those in prison. People will say that day, she was a person who fed the hungry. People will say that day they were a community who tried to love and serve humanity and left a committed life behind. Commitment begins when we take the first step, and do it over and over again, whether we want to or not, whether it's raining or sunshine, whether it costs too much or not, whether we feel like it or not, whether we have something more important to do or not. God's call on our hearts beckons us to be people who love and serve one another. We are keepers of the dream. |
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