Dream like a King

The year was 1976 and I remember angry crowds filled the streets. The courts had ordered desegregation of Jefferson County schools and many people were protesting court ordered bussing. It was the same story across the country. I remember the racially motivated separation and hatred.

Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama

It was ten years earlier that Dr. Martin Luther King Junior sealed a movement with a speech entitled “I have a Dream.”  Within the speech he said, “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."”

The dream comes from a scripture in the Bible, “God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27)” God created humans. The scripture shows us we are all humans regardless of gender. The scripture does not put limits on how human we are according to age, race, hair color (or quantity of hair), eye color, economic status, mental ability, physical limitations, nationality, the clothing we wear, religion, or any other qualifier. We are all humans. We are all of equal value to God, and by implication we should all be of equal value to each other.

Unfortunately, Martin Luther King’s dream is still not a reality, and probably never will be. As long as people exist some individuals will put down other individuals based on their own biased viewpoint. This goes for people of faith as well as people of no faith, although as people of faith we should know better.

The Bible tells us we should care for each other.  Zechariah wrote (quoting Moses from Dt. 10:18), “The LORD of hosts said, 'Dispense true justice and practice kindness and compassion each to his brother; and do not oppress the widow or the orphan, the stranger or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another.'” (Zech 7:9-10) He pronounced a punishment because, “But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears from hearing. They made their hearts like flint so that they could not hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets; therefore great wrath came from the LORD of hosts.” (Zech 7:11-12)

During the recent election hatred of others came to the forefront. This hatred was spoken not only through the rhetoric of politicians (which is inexcusable because they are asking us to make them our leaders {and therefore examples!}), but words of hate were also spoken by Christians. I saw these words on facebook, but not only there, I have heard the words from the mouths of those I know. When I confront them they arch their backs and tell me they are right for putting others down.

This makes me uncomfortable in church. Can I trust the words of those leaders who spoke hatred against others? Zechariah would advise me, “they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears from hearing,” so why should I listen to the advice of leaders who show hatred. (Some have explained it is not hatred, it is fear of people different than them.) I remember when Baptists (and I can, even 40 years after the fact, tell you what church they attended) persecuted me and thre things at me for being Jewish during my Middle School years. I can name people who even yet show prejudice, although life has taught me to ignore their words and acts.

As Martin Luther King, I have a dream that all people would be treated as equals. That women would not be put down for being females (receiving the same respect and the same pay), that lanes would not be blocked off for the rich in the extremely tight and congested lanes of the Charlotte airport (and I am sure others), that public roads would not be designated for those who can afford the toll (at the expense of those who can not), and that people of different faiths would learn about each other and speak with one another with respect. I pray we would treat people as people, and come to know them well enough to see the gifts God has placed within them, and then open doors so they can use those gifts. I pray that a spirit of community and care would return to our country and we would come to know our neighbors by name and tend to their needs.

I share the dream with Dr. King and the founders of our nation that all people would “live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."”