A good word from Rich Dixon

+++

The time is always right to do what is right. ~MLK

+ + +

I didn’t pay much attention to Dr. King until I met him.

Okay, I didn’t actually “meet” him. In 2012 Becky and I did a bike tour to raise funds for victims of human trafficking. The tour ended in Washington D.C. After a week focused on seeking justice, the MLK Memorial left a deep impression.

I sat for quite a while in the blazing sun and watched Dr. King gaze across the tidal pool at the Jefferson Memorial. I wondered about a conversation between the two great men – one a descendant of slaves, the other a slave owner who wrote what Dr. King called a “national promissory note” of opportunity and justice. I wondered if Jefferson would agree the time had come to make good on his check.

I tend to forget that Dr. King’s soaring oratory and commitment to non-violence weren’t simply effective tactics. Those principles rested firmly on his foundation as a pastor and a follower of Jesus. His quest for justice was biblical, not political. When he said “the arc of the universe bends toward justice” he was expressing faith in Jesus, not confidence in human systems.

Each year on the MLK holiday I read Dr. King’s Letter From Birmingham Jail. The words remind me that following Jesus, taking Him seriously, has very real costs.

+ + +

Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”

We’re planning next summer’s FREEDOM TOUR events. As we think about riding bikes in beautiful Colorado, I hope we’ll remember it’s not about us. We’ll have a lot of fun, but I hope we’ll remember following Jesus isn’t about comfort.

As we seek justice for 22 kids rescued from human trafficking, we might encounter “deny themselves.”