Happy Birthday, Dr. King!

Today, January 15, is not only MLK, Jr. Day holiday, but it’s also the actual birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. If he were still living today, he would be 95 years old.

Last year, I had the opportunity to visit the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, TN, while there on a business trip with two other NorthStar women. The museum is housed in the Lorraine Motel where Dr. King was assassinated on the balcony of his room 56 years ago in April. It was powerful to see not only the life he lived, but the legacy he left. He advocated for civil rights for communities, housing, education, land, justice, and full employment for people of color in our country. What was most impactful was to see the newspaper articles, read the stories, and watch the videos of the use of nonviolent resistance he instituted to bring about change. People were beaten, jailed, and sometimes killed, yet, he and others kept their peace.

It reminds me of Jesus standing before Pilate, being accused by the religious leaders. He kept His peace as well. He told Peter in the Garden of Gethsemane to put his sword down, and said to His disciples, “Those who live by the sword, die by the sword” (Matt. 26:52). Engaging in violence to bring about change is not the way of Christ. Our Messiah was a suffering servant who ushered in His kingdom through the use of nonviolence. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. understood this. He was a Baptist minister and disciple of Jesus. I wouldn’t be surprised if his commitment to nonviolence was born out of his commitment to following Christ.

At the museum what was most surprising, though, was his age. Martin Luther King was only 26 years old when he rose to leadership during the Montgomery Bus Boycott and two years later became the first president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. He was 39 when he was assassinated. Jesus was between 30-33 at the time of His ministry, and at the time of His crucifixion, He was 33.

I wonder if we listen enough to many of our younger co-laborers today — younger leaders who often have the boldness to speak truth, the determination to make a difference in the world, and the desire to do so through nonviolence as they, too, follow Jesus. Perhaps including the voices of younger leaders in our conversations could be a great way to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Happy Birthday, Dr. King!