Martin Luther King – 1 Timothy 4:12 Girl

Each one of us is fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God.

In Genesis 1:27, we read, “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” God created each one of us in His own image, to reflect His glory and here on this earth.

However, we were not created as cookie cutters—identical to every other person on this earth. If you simply look around your local mall, you will see a wide range of different genders (male and female), races (black, white, asian, hispanic, etc.), and personalities (introverts, extraverts, etc.). We are all different, yet we all bear the image of God. God’s fingerprint is in each and every person who walks this planet today.

Sixty-five years ago, a Baptist minister by the name of Martin Luther King Jr. used his voice to bring this vision into reality. He had a dream that someday, his children “would not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character”. Today, we see the product of this dream as reality—a reality where all people are to be treated equally in society. Where people have equal access to education, public spaces, and grocery stores. We live in a better world because one man dared to dream.

I am a firm believer that equality and diversity is God’s dream too. In Galatians 3:28, Paul writes, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” We serve a God who sees beyond race and gender. Who looks at the heart when society looks at appearance (1 Samuel 16:7). Who desires that we love each other as ourselves (Mark 12:31). Who desires to see us free from bondage and oppression (Psalm 9:9). Who loves and cares about each one of us as His own (1 John 3:1).

I want to challenge you, this MLK Day and every day, to see the people around you as God sees them. To appreciate the diversity around you and the incredible ways that God has made us all so different—yet, at the same time, so similar.

How we are all a reflection of the God that we serve.

^“After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”” – Revelations 7:9-10

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Hey guys, it’s day thirteen of the blogging challenge! It’s also Martin Luther King Jr. Day—and because today’s topic is “Someone who fascinates you and why” I decided to make this post a dedication to the civil rights activist whom this day honors.

As you can probably guess by the name of my blog, I was born long after his death. Nonetheless, even as a girl who’s skin fries after an hour in the sun, I’ve been impacted by this man’s legacy. Few people can take claim to an annual holiday, or have made such a huge impact on the world that we live and breathe in today. Few people have had the courage to follow a dream in the face of nationwide opposition. Few people have had the courage to risk death for their ideals.

I also find it interesting to know that he was a Christian—a minister, in fact. In addition to doing world-changing work in the area of racial equality, he was consistent about speaking out about his faith. I would imagine that he’d be an outstanding pastor to listen to, with memorable quotes such as the one below.

“We need to pledge ourselves anew to the cause of Christ. We must capture the spirit of the early church. Wherever the early Christians went, they made a triumphant witness for Christ. Whether on the village streets or in the city jails, they daringly proclaimed the good news of the gospel.” Martin Luther King, Jr.

The things he fought for were integral to to the message of the Gospel—absolute unity in Christ, as God’s beautiful creations. God never meant for us to be divided by things like race or gender. God’s dream for humanity is unity—something that Dr. King fought for until the day he died. If it weren’t for his legacy, we may never have met close friends, family members, and neighbors who were previously kept separate simply because of their outward appearance. It is very improbable that without his legacy, and the legacies of those like him, that we would ever have friends of a difference race or ethnicity.

God has a dream for each one of us. Martin Luther King found his in bringing greater racial reconciliation to America. Ours may be in any number of vocations—from ministry, to advocacy, to teaching, to raising a family. It’s very likely that God has plans for us in a number of different ways, as He uses His children a little bit closer to Himself and to each other.

Today, let’s continue to honor Martin Luther King Jr. and live fully into God’s plan for our lives.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” – Hebrews 12:1-2

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