Choosing Love: Honoring Dr. King’s Vision

Today is a day of profound irony. As our nation pauses to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we also witness the inauguration of Donald Trump as President of the United States. The contrast between these two figures—one a prophetic voice for justice, love, and equality, the other a figure often associated with division and self-interest—is stark. I won’t dwell on the distinctions, because they are as obvious as they are troubling. Instead, I want to remind us of a choice we face today and every day: the choice to live toward the kind of world we imagine—a world ruled by the peace of Christ that brings true justice, celebrates diversity, takes the side of the poor and the marginalized; where swords are turned to plowshares and every knee shall bow to a crucified God.  

Dr. King taught us that love, and only love, can drive out hate. His words echo as a challenge to all of us on this day: Will we respond to division with fear, or will we respond with the kind of radical love that Dr. King lived and died for? 

For me, today is not a day for watching TV or dwelling on the political spectacle. It’s a day to read, reflect, and recommit. I encourage you to pick up something by or about Dr. King—his words are as relevant now as they ever were. This morning, I read The Measure of a Man, a small but profound book in which Dr. King explores the nature of human dignity and our interconnectedness. It was one of the first "theology" books I ever read. And before I had read it, I had never known that Dr. King was, indeed, a theologian and a pastor, not just an activist. One line has always stood out to me as central to King's thought: "As long as there is poverty in the world I can never be rich, even if I have a million dollars... I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be." 

These words remind us that we belong to each other. that our "business" is the business of all humankind—their dignity and welfare—regardless of their race, gender identity, or country of origin. We are not truly free until every person is free. We are not fully human until we embrace the humanity of others, particularly the poor, the marginalized, and the fearful. Dr. King also posed a question that continues to haunt us: "What is man?" (excuse the masculine language, he was a product of his time). He wrote, "The whole political, social, and economic structure of a society is largely determined by its answer to this pressing question. Indeed, the conflict which we witness in the world today between totalitarianism and democracy is at bottom a conflict over the question 'What is man?'" This question undergirds the choices we make as individuals and as a society. Are we people of love and justice, or are we people of fear and control? Do we build systems that honor the dignity of every human being, or do we perpetuate systems of inequality and exploitation? 

If you’re looking for a way to honor Dr. King today, turn to the scriptures he so dearly loved. Read the passages that promise freedom to the oppressed, hope for immigrants, and dignity for the marginalized. Meditate on Amos 5:24—"Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream." And reflect on Dr. King’s admonition to the church: "...any religion that professes to be concerned about the souls of men and is not concerned about the economic conditions that damn the soul, the social conditions that corrupt men, and the city governments that cripple them, is a dry, dead, do-nothing religion in need of new blood." Dr. King’s legacy calls us to action—not out of anger, but out of a deep, unshakable love. He knew that love, justice, and hope were not luxuries but necessities for the survival of our shared humanity. 

Today, let’s honor his legacy by choosing the direction of love over hate, justice over indifference, and hope over despair. May we be inspired to build a world that reflects the vision he saw so clearly—a world where everyone can become what they ought to be.