pray. - Honoring Martin Luther King Jr.: Speak Up and Love Your Enemies
Monday, as we all know, was Martin Luther King Jr. Day. I was fortunate enough to be off work that day and took a few moments to reflect. As I scrolled social media, there was one quote all about love which I saw frequently.
Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.
It's a great statement. I love it. I love the message it sends. After all, I am definitely a lover. However, I took it upon myself to do a little reading of my own. And, there were several quotes that stood out to me more-especially considering the state the world is in right now.
I'll start with the following two. One of which, I did see on social media. Brenee Brown posted it on her Instagram account.
There comes a time when silence is betrayal.
The other: In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.
Notice in both quotes he speaks of silence and its magnitude. I'm guilty of being silent in times my voice needed to be heard. I stood silent because I wanted to avoid controversy and didn't desire to fight the battle. However, looking back, I realize that silence made me guilty of denying human love. My voice could've been the voice of reason, another perspective not thought of, or the change in someone else's heart. And, how will I be remembered by others in that moment? I'll be remembered as the one who doesn't speak up, and that is not the person I want others to remember.
Therefore, I vowed to myself I would no longer be silent when my heart has something to say. In a sense, silence is just another form of dishonesty. If I deny my feelings in order to avoid conflict or to prevent controversy, then I am not being true to myself, therefore, I am not being true to others. And, when I am not true to others, they do not truly understand who I am at my roots, in my heart, which means they have a false opinion of me. So, their love, dislike, or hate for me is not true. By my silence, I have basically forced others to be dishonest, and if the cycle continues, we all become fraudulent individuals.
In a world of materialism, instant gratification, desensitization of hate and violence, and hyper sensitization of truth and humor, we are all becoming more and more false simply because of evolution.
No one really knows why they are alive until they know what they'd die for.
A man who won't die for something is not fit to live.
Notice both of these quotes balance life, death, and virtue. They provoked emotion within me because I started to question my own moral excellence and righteousness. Do I know what I'd die for? Am I fit to live?
As I started examining my heart and soul, I could think of individuals I would die for, so I started digging in and asking myself why would I die for them? Simply put - I'd die for them because I love them. So, does that mean I'd die for love? Does that mean I'm alive because of love? Does that mean I'm living this life, this moment because of love? Am I fit to live because I love?
Then, that led me to these thoughts. We all love something or at least one someone - even the most hateful person on the planet must have one something or someone they love. Someone or something they love so much they'd die for it. So, if I'm fit to live because I love and am willing to die for it, aren't they also fit to live?
Sure, they may have a passion for hate against particular groups in society, but even the smallest amount of love, even if it's love of themselves, is it not still love? So, is there not hope? I don't say this to defend "the haters." However, if I am willing to speak up and voice my love and die for it, could that inkling of love inside "the hater" grow, evolve, and change the direction of human evolution?
With that thought, I leave you with one last piece of wisdom from Martin Luther King Jr.
Now there is a final reason I think that Jesus says, "Love your enemies." It is this: that love has within it a redemptive power. And there is a power there that eventually transforms individuals. Just keep being friendly to that person. Just keep loving him. Oh, they react with guilt feelings, and sometimes they'll hate you a little more at that transition period, but just keep loving them. And by the power of your love they will break down under the load. That's love, you see. It is redemptive, and this is why Jesus says love. There's something about love that builds up and is creative. There is something about hate that tears down and is destructive. So love your enemies. - from Loving Your Enemies
Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.
It's a great statement. I love it. I love the message it sends. After all, I am definitely a lover. However, I took it upon myself to do a little reading of my own. And, there were several quotes that stood out to me more-especially considering the state the world is in right now.
I'll start with the following two. One of which, I did see on social media. Brenee Brown posted it on her Instagram account.
There comes a time when silence is betrayal.
The other: In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.
Notice in both quotes he speaks of silence and its magnitude. I'm guilty of being silent in times my voice needed to be heard. I stood silent because I wanted to avoid controversy and didn't desire to fight the battle. However, looking back, I realize that silence made me guilty of denying human love. My voice could've been the voice of reason, another perspective not thought of, or the change in someone else's heart. And, how will I be remembered by others in that moment? I'll be remembered as the one who doesn't speak up, and that is not the person I want others to remember.
Therefore, I vowed to myself I would no longer be silent when my heart has something to say. In a sense, silence is just another form of dishonesty. If I deny my feelings in order to avoid conflict or to prevent controversy, then I am not being true to myself, therefore, I am not being true to others. And, when I am not true to others, they do not truly understand who I am at my roots, in my heart, which means they have a false opinion of me. So, their love, dislike, or hate for me is not true. By my silence, I have basically forced others to be dishonest, and if the cycle continues, we all become fraudulent individuals.
In a world of materialism, instant gratification, desensitization of hate and violence, and hyper sensitization of truth and humor, we are all becoming more and more false simply because of evolution.
No one really knows why they are alive until they know what they'd die for.
A man who won't die for something is not fit to live.
Notice both of these quotes balance life, death, and virtue. They provoked emotion within me because I started to question my own moral excellence and righteousness. Do I know what I'd die for? Am I fit to live?
As I started examining my heart and soul, I could think of individuals I would die for, so I started digging in and asking myself why would I die for them? Simply put - I'd die for them because I love them. So, does that mean I'd die for love? Does that mean I'm alive because of love? Does that mean I'm living this life, this moment because of love? Am I fit to live because I love?
Then, that led me to these thoughts. We all love something or at least one someone - even the most hateful person on the planet must have one something or someone they love. Someone or something they love so much they'd die for it. So, if I'm fit to live because I love and am willing to die for it, aren't they also fit to live?
Sure, they may have a passion for hate against particular groups in society, but even the smallest amount of love, even if it's love of themselves, is it not still love? So, is there not hope? I don't say this to defend "the haters." However, if I am willing to speak up and voice my love and die for it, could that inkling of love inside "the hater" grow, evolve, and change the direction of human evolution?
With that thought, I leave you with one last piece of wisdom from Martin Luther King Jr.
Now there is a final reason I think that Jesus says, "Love your enemies." It is this: that love has within it a redemptive power. And there is a power there that eventually transforms individuals. Just keep being friendly to that person. Just keep loving him. Oh, they react with guilt feelings, and sometimes they'll hate you a little more at that transition period, but just keep loving them. And by the power of your love they will break down under the load. That's love, you see. It is redemptive, and this is why Jesus says love. There's something about love that builds up and is creative. There is something about hate that tears down and is destructive. So love your enemies. - from Loving Your Enemies
Comments
Post a Comment