Day 19 Honoring Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

1/19/2026 

"Use me, God. Show me how to take who I am,

who I want to be, and what I can do, and use it for a

purpose greater than myself."

Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

Today we observe Martin Luther King, Jr. who was assassinated in 1968 while standing on a hotel balcony in Memphis, Tennessee where he was to lead a protest march supporting the city garbage workers. I was a senior in high school that year, and I followed his life's work for years prior to his death. His death was a terrible blow to me, and it has followed me through the years. I still listen to his speeches, and his wonderful "I Have a Dream" speech continues to touch my heart. One day I'll meet him in glory, and I am anxious for that day.

I was reading his biography on the Nobel Peace Prize web, and it stated: 

"At the age of thirty-five, Martin Luther King, Jr., was the youngest man to have received the Nobel Peace Prize. When notified of his selection, he announced that he would turn over the prize money of $54,123 to the furtherance of the civil rights movement." 

He was a Baptist preacher, and an American civil rights activist and leader in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. He had a distinguished academic record, but he remained a humble man. He cared deeply for people, and I admire him greatly. 

 

 

He was a man of conviction who wasn't afraid to speak the truth and passionately stand up for the rights of others. When I think about all the injustices in our world now, the ones that are true and just, not ones being propagated in order to cause chaos and breed hatred and distrust, poisoning the minds of young people who are searching for truth and authenticity in a hate-filled, media-driven barrage of untruths and malicious behavior, I never thought I would ever see America reduced to what I am seeing today. Fortunately we have a President who is working to restore dignity and safety and restoration to our nation, and I think if Dr. King was still alive today, he would appreciate our leaders who are working so hard to share the truth and expose the lies that have been guiding people way too long. Perhaps he would be able to awaken the sleeping church, but he was trying to do that when he was alive and actively speaking up for righteousness and justice. Sadly the church is hard to wake up and harder still to speak up. But, now is the time to draw the line in the sand. Jesus did, and the naysayers walked away. May we walk in His example today.