Lessons from Martin Luther King Jr. to Reflect on Today

This #MLKDay, I invite you to take a few minutes to read and reflect on an edifying sermon from Dr. King about loving your enemies.

In his sermon, Dr. King addressed the strife of the times—and today, his words seem well suited to the turmoils we now face:

"Upheaval after upheaval has reminded us that modern man is traveling along a road called hate, in a journey that will bring us to destruction and damnation."

As the end of the Trump presidency approaches—and in the aftermath of post-election unrest and electoral vote rioting—many have spoken about a need for accountability. About repudiations and resignations being too little too late. About calls for a new path being empty gestures.

I appreciate and respect the idea that part of moving past our current travails should involve varying degrees and combinations of accountability and contrition. But I also believe that anyone unable or unwilling to seek out a path for reconciliation is not part of the solution.

Dr. King expressly rejected the idea of perpetual exile and a lack of rapprochement:

"We can never say, 'I will forgive you, but I won’t have anything further to do with you.' Forgiveness means reconciliation, a coming together again. Without this, no man can love his enemies."

As to why we must offer forgiveness, Dr. King reminded us that:

"Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

And he spoke of what people unwilling to forgive face within themselves:

"Hate destroys a man’s sense of values and his objectivity. It causes him to describe the beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, and to confuse the true with the false and the false with the true."

The sermon is very deserving of a read in its entirety, as there are many more lessons worthy of being taken to heart. And given the moral authority of its source, I believe it is also very deserving of serious respect and contemplation, especially on this day of remembrance.

A final word from Dr. King:

"Time is cluttered with the wreckage of communities which surrendered to hatred and violence. For the salvation of our nation and the salvation of mankind, we must follow another way."

Today, let's reflect on how each of us can find and follow that other way.