Words of Inspiration

Today is Martin Luther King Day. I didn't think much of it today. It's just another day, one that I could be certain I wouldn't be wakened at the crack of dawn to go sub at school for. And that struck me as odd. There is a reason we have this day off, so I decided to look into it a bit more. All I know about Martin Luther King Jr is the little bio I learned each year in school, and little clips from the media.

You might be surprised to know that his birth name was actually Michael Luther King Jr. His father, also named Michael, changed his own name to Martin Luther King when he became a minister, and his son followed suit. He was a vegetarian. One site even named him a Trekkie (which is a little funny, this serious man loved him some Star Trek). While he worked for racial equality, he also spoke out against poverty and the war in Vietnam.

Martin Luther King Jr. is probably most remembered for his work to attain racial equality. When we hear that name we automatically think of his famous I Have a Dream speech, so we might find it surprising that he said actually said anything else in his life. Looking through some of the things he said, I stumbled upon this quote:

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

Wow. Such powerful words. And it made me think of this blog and the reason it was started. We want people to know that we love the work we do both in Uganda and here at home. But it's not actually the work that matters, it's the people. And these people need to know that they matter to others and most importantly to God. And that's why we're here. That's why I write this blog. So that other people will know the names, see the faces, and hear the stories of these people, and so something can be done. Our lives cease to have a true purpose when we stop speaking up for the things that matter in life. At the end of my life I want to be remembered as someone who worked on behalf of the poor, spoke up for the sick and orphaned, and inspired others into action.

Here are a few other quotes that stood out to me. I invite you to take a minute to read and think about each one.

Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.

Life's most persistent and urging question is: What are you doing for others?

To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.

Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. This is the interrelated structure of reality.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.

Do you have a favorite quote? How do you want to be remembered?

- Aly


Facts and quotes came from www.mlkonline.net and www.brainyquote.com respectively.