Things I Think…
1. “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” Martin Luther King, Jr.
We are at another crossroads in our history where King’s declaration holds true.
Every sector of our society is in need of men and women who will stand for truth the way that King stood for the cause he espoused, because every sector of our society is straining to stand under the weight of corruption,a varice and lies.
We are in need of men and women who will stand for truth and righteousness and against those who use lies and unrighteousness to their sole advantage at the expense of all.
In particular ,the church needs people who will stand against the idolatry, manipulation, and deception that is swallowing up so many in the name of truth and freedom.
King was a sinner (and I more so)…but his stand was righteous…are there any who love the cause of the church as much as King loved his cause ?
If so, then they must speak…and stand…
2. I was telling the Lord the other day about all the things I still want to accomplish for the faith…and He told me to go clean up after my mother…what the Lord wants you to do for him…the “works set before you”…are often in the next room…
3. Nothing I’m doing right now (outside of my interactions with cats) is what I want to be doing. Everything I’m doing right now involves pain and drudgery and no small amount of frustration. When I inform the Lord of how much more than this I’m capable of, He bends down and washes my feet and I shut my dirty mouth…
4. You are never anything in the kingdom until you are first obedient…it is at the end of a long obedience that you find the key to the next step of your life…which will also involve obedience…
5. There may not ever be an end to an obedience that is painful and full of drudgery in this life…in that case, the promotion will be hearing “well done, good and faithful servant…
6. These things are easy to write about and impossible to live with a measure of joy unless you have the Spirit…and even then…
7. To be “successful” in the kingdom of God you have to be as invested in your sanctification as you are in succeeding…I’ll let you know when I get there…if I do…
8. The Lord doth amuse me…I’ve written here that I was reading the two volume biography on Elisabeth Elliot…many of you wondered why and so did I…not only did I read the two volume set, I bought and read the third because I felt compelled to do so. As I was finishing up the third volume i was wondering why I had invested Amazon gift certificates and precious time to these books…then I thought I heard laughter that sounded like thunder.
Toward the end of the third volume a passage hit me…Elliot was musing about her purpose and what to do going forward in her her life. I have struggling with the same questions. She found her direction in words of Jesus to John on the Isle of Patmos…”write down what you see”..
It sounds remarkably simple to read now, but it was “revelation knowledge” to me.
In truth, that’s always been my public call and it still is today.
So that is what I’ll continue to do…
9. ‘Seeing” is simple as long as the Lord directs your vision…many today are blind without knowing it…
10. May the Lord show us things in community that we would never see alone…and may we be obedient when we understand what we must do with what we see…
From a CT article today:
“King was not an evangelical. Evangelicals have traditionally seen the answer to the problem of sin primarily in individual conversion.”
Good. He wasn’t “evangelical.”
So I’ll pay closer attention to him and his theology.
The author continues by defining evangelicalism as that branch of Xnity
that stresses personal conversion and revival.
Well, guess what? There are plenty of other branches of the Faith other than ones with those characteristics that are just as legit, if not more so, than that. You can be fully orthodox and not fit into his definition. I’m more
interested in that, in what the church has believed historically. If that
doesn’t fit into modern definitions of “evangelical”, too bad.
bob1,
Much of his doctrine I find problematic.
I find how he lived it in the public square exemplary.
He wasn’t close to being evangelical…but neither was Bonhoeffer or C.S. Lewis…who I have much in common with…
Amen to all. Thank you Michael.
Thanks, Dan!
Yeah, he was complicated.
I do find it interesting that King has at least one encounter with God that shook him to the core. Didn’t see that mentioned in the article.
Guess I’m tired of members of the evangelical-indystrial complex telling everyone who’s toeing their line and who isn’t. That got old a really long time ago.
had at least
King denied the deity of Christ and the resurrection.
That puts him outside any version of orthodoxy.
My guess is that he now knows he was wrong and is quite happy about that…
Another “Things I Think” that hits straight to the heart. Blessings Michael.
pslady,
Thank you…to you as well…
MLK continues to be one of the undervalued heroes of American history.
Regarding #4, I’m reading Eugene Peterson’s book of that title…powerful stuff.
A fantastic and recent bio of King is “King,” by Jonathan Eig. Includes a bunch of new research.
fil,
When I wrote that sentence I was like “damn that’s familiar”…couldn’t remember why.
yes, it’s a great book…like all of his writings.
bob1,
Thanks for the heads up…I’ll get that…
bob1,
I saw that same author wrote the Ali bio, which was great.
Then I saw he wrote a bio of Lou Gehrig as well.
Now, I have no Amazon gift cards left… 🙂
Michael,
I know well that feeling/reality!
“King In the Wilderness” is a film about the last week of his life. He seemed to sense that he didn’t have long to live.
As a child, from 1966 to 1975, I lived in a neighborhood where blacks were about 50% of the residents. King was a big deal, too. I learned to appreciate him and his teachings, although I also know he had his shortcomings.
Pretty much yes to all of this, in idea and experience.
Thank you, Joel…may God bless the work of your hands…
“To be “successful” in the kingdom of God you have to be as invested in your sanctification as you are in succeeding…“
whoaaaaa Solid You are getting wiser and holier in your old age….
I did not know MLK denied Christ’s deity and the resurrection. Where could I find such info?
jtk,
Most any real bio that discusses his theology…he was very steeped in liberation theology and turn of the 20th century higher criticism…