A Special Tribute To The Dreamer: Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

On the third Monday of every January across this nation and various parts of the world there will be countless celebrations honoring the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. For to long, King's holiday has become a traditional and routine day with no real value or substance, for many it's just another day off from work or school.

Clearly, Dr. King's dream does not center around a one-day annual celebration but a daily strive to make the world a better place for all to live as brothers in peace and perfect harmony. First of all, we have to acknowledge that the dream began with God, for without God there is no absolute transcendent truth on which to base a call to justice. Nor is there any other source by which we may draw strength to love, to serve, and to be compassionate. Dr. King's life exemplified this truth and therefore we must do more to honor his name other than parades, marches, speeches, and events.

History is composed of significant events which shape our future and outstanding leaders who influence our destiny. Martin Luther King Jr.'s contributions to our history place him in this unparalleled position. In his short life, he was very instrumental in helping us realize and resolve those unspeakable flaws which tarnished this country.

The life and the courage of this special man cannot be underestimated nor taken for granted. He was a drum major for justice, an advocate for peace, and a believer in righteousness. He was a champion for the poor and the disenfranchised. He was a lone voice crying out in the wilderness of America for the equal rights of a forgotten people.

Within a span of 13 years from 1955 to his death in 1968, he was able to expound, expose, and rescue America from many wrongs. It is this cause that his memory and his dream will not die but continue to haunt our every existence. Dr. King, the dreamer whose dreams were mental images of a better world, was overwhelmed with strong convictions. His deep belief was that everybody is somebody. This symbolizes human worth and the destruction of suppression.

If we ask ourselves today what has become of Martin Luther King's Dream, what would your answer be?
Forgotten, shelved or stored away until the next third Monday in January when we come for another annual celebration. Yet 38 years after his death, we are still confronted with poverty, violence, racial discrimination, economic injustice, and war; all still dominate our society. His repeated plea was for mankind to enter into a personal relationship with God that would transcend that which could be seen and that, which was being experienced. The dream is about changing our world and having a voice in how we live and eventually how we die.

Dr. King's unselfish use of the word Love became dominant throughout his life and practiced in the many struggles he encountered. The love he often spoke of was biblical love which comes from God, which is agape Love. This love is unconditional, unselfish and seeks the absolute good of others. This kind of love is tough love, one that confronts wrong, injustices, discrimination, hatred, sexism, racism, and prejudices.
Dr. King showed us that no matter what challenges we face as a society, Love can conquer a multitude of sins. Dr. King showed us that it is better to build a better society rather than destroying it with hatred.

Today, we are challenged by Dr. King's dream to make America a great nation greater than we can ever envision or ever hope for. Dr. King provided this nation with a road map so that all people could follow and share in brotherly love together in the abundance of this great democracy. America can be that beacon of hope for the world by following the path Dr. King blazed for us. Now let us begin in our own communities to make the dream a reality by confronting those economic, political, and social issues that threaten our society. Dr. King often said "We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools".

By: Rev. Christopher D. Handy, Th. D.