Some Personal Reflections on the 50th Anniversary of Dr. King's Death

          Today is the 50^th anniversary of the tragic death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. As you likely know, on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee, Dr. King was standing on the balcony outside of Room 306 at the Lorraine Motel. At 6:01 p.m., James Earl Ray shot a bullet at King from the window of a nearby boarding house, cutting short the life of a man who had labored tirelessly for thirteen years to draw attention to racism and ethnic disparity.

            When I first heard this horrible account as an elementary student in the small Midwestern town where I grew up, I had no context by which to understand these events. I had no idea where Memphis was located, and did not understand the reason why someone would hate Dr. King so much that he wanted to silence him (by the way, Ray failed miserably in his attempt to silence King). Three decades later, I now know Memphis quite well because I’ve lived in the area with my wife for 19 years. What I still don’t understand is the hatred that was necessary to prompt Ray to have pulled that trigger fifty years ago.

            Twenty-one years ago as a sophomore in college, I met my future wife. What drew me to her was her kindness, her love for the Lord, and the way that she loved others as herself. As I got to know Glenda better, I learned that she was Hispanic (which because of little exposure to other cultures I thought must mean that she was from Hawaii!), Spanish was her primary language, and she had survived a Civil War in her native country of El Salvador. She is responsible for opening up a completely different world to me, helping me to learn about different ethnicities and cultures, and teaching me how to love them. Thirteen years as the pastor of a Hispanic church (with members from numerous countries, cultures, and ethnicities) has deepened my understanding of ethnic issues, but I recognize that there is much that I still need to learn.

            The following observations are some important lessons that I’ve learned throughout the years. Please keep in mind that this is not an exhaustive list:

• Racism still exists. Anecdotally, years ago I heard a man smugly refer to MLK Day as “James Earl Ray Day”
• Different ethnic groups in the United States tend to have few meaningful interactions.
• Many errantly think that to discuss “racial” issues is to subscribe to a social gospel or to embrace Marxist principles.
• Often we fail to listen well, forgetting that we must be quick to listen and slow to speak.
• We must approach this topic humbly, and have teachable heart.
• One’s personal culture does not trump Scriptural mandates.
• Our personal culture often blinds us to scriptural teachings, and we must overcome these blinders.
• Scripture is robust, addressing not only spiritual issues, but every social issue (e.g., Nehemiah).
• Many of the New Testament books address the sin of racism and provide solutions for thinking and acting rightly.
• The early Christians learned how to celebrate their oneness in Christ, and we would do well to learn from their example.
• Orthdoxy and Orthopraxy are indivisible.
• We must seek out meaningful relationships with believers form other ethnicities and cultures.
• We must care when fellow believers suffer, and work together to stamp out any injustices that we find.

This list could be much longer because ethnic reconciliation is a multifaceted topic that is not yet a reality in the United States. What items would you add to this list?