Extremists for Love

Today’s episode honors the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - the preacher, poet, civil rights activist, husband, father and theologian, who was only 39 when he was killed on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis on April 4, 1968. He was there to support the city's striking sanitation workers and had just given the speech, “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” the night before. In recent years, I've had a practice of re-reading King's "A Letter from a Birmingham Jail" on his federal holiday here in the U.S. (which is today, the third Monday in January). It grounds me and challenges me to  remember that the point of my life, my faith, my existence, is to participate in love, to realize God’s dream of flourishing for all. If my faith is not doing that, not making the actual circumstances of my neighbor's life better, more just, more dignified, then it has missed the mark.The part that catches my imagination this year is King's response to his fellow clergyman who have called him an "extremist." He pushes back, saying the question is not "will we be an extremist?" but rather "what kind of extremist will we be?" He invites us, following the example of Jesus, to be extremists for love. Feedback? I'd love to hear from you at [email protected]. Thanks for listening, friends. You are loved and never alone!