On the Mountaintop and Beyond

Yesterday was the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. (Yes, it would have been better if I'd written this yesterday, but it was a holiday!). On this day, our nation pays tribute to one of the most unique and significant people of our generation. It is good and right that we remember and honor men like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson who helped to found this country "of the people and by the people." It is good and right that we honor Dr. King who led the movement that forced our country to be off all the people and by all the people.

King was assassinated on April 4, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee. His death sparked riots that rocked Memphis, Chicago and many other parts the country. For many, King symbolized the civil rights movement, and it was a shock that he was dead. Well, it was a shock to everyone except Dr. King. The last paragraph of his last public speech given the day before his death was eerily prophetic--

Like anybody, I would like to live a long life-longevity has
its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will.
And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over, and I've
seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know
tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land. And so I'm happy
tonight; I'm not worried about anything; I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have
seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.

A generation later, Dr. King would not recognize his country. Sure, only the incredibly naive would say that the problem of race has been fixed. But only the incredibly dishonest would argue that ours is not a totally different world.

I was only 12 years old when Dr. King was killed, but my memory of the event is very clear. The Sunday night following his death, we had a youth group meeting at church. During that gathering, one of the older teens blurted "I'm glad they finally shot that n*****" Several openly agreed with him. Though there were several adults present, they said nothing to challenge that statement. Where do teens learn such hate?

The sad historical fact is that most white churches defended the status quo and opposed civil rights. Segregation was not just tolerated by churches; it was enforced. Several of our colleges had to be forced by the government to open their doors to blacks. I know of ministers who were fired because they baptized and discipled too many of "them." The theme of racial and ethnic equality in Jesus Christ is a major theme that runs through the New Testament. Oneness of Jews and Gentiles in Jesus was not just a sidelight issue for Paul, it was his ministry. Books like Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians and others stress this equality. And yet the church missed it for so many years. What else we are missing?