Love, Human Rights, and Change and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King

I find the quotes of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King very inspiring and as relevant today as yesteryear. Below are four such quotes and some thoughts on their relevance today:

“Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it.”

Love and hate polarise life outcomes. One breeds heaven--a life of bliss--the other hell on earth. The Rev. Dr. King gave his life for the rights of love to sweep across his nation and the world and his legacy lives on now, in many ways, and not the least through one, Barack Obama. Let us hope fervently and pray that the rights of love continue to be heard through him and other influential world leaders through these unstable times.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

The power of love is all-supreme; it is perfection, as God is perfect. When we employ the pure principles and the law of love we too stand to win the broader fight, that is never our own, but a fight we have a part stake in. It’s the fight for common ground.

“A right delayed is a right denied.”

We show our temerity by what we don’t accept. It takes ruthless courage to stand up and say ‘No, that won’t happen around here!’ That’s leadership. Approving of delay, it seems, is a political prerogative, and one to the reasonable person that’s untenable when the basic rights of a person or a people are at stake.

“All progress is precarious, and the solution of one problem brings us face to face with another problem.”

Successful change is such a big issue and grasping oil with an open hand is easier. We make an improvement and shoot for progress; someone inevitably is always disadvantaged. Should we give up improving? No. But, we should consider very carefully the implications and be prepared to act on anything that brings adverse results for anyone.

Rev. Dr. King spoke not only for love, peace, and the minorities; he spoke wisdom that a nation needed to hear and will always need to hear. Where are the Rev. Dr. King’s of today?

Copyright © 2008, S. J. Wickham. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.