A King’s birthday and the presidential inaugural of a swindler
Ken Sehested
Invocation. “Pride (In the Name of Love).” —U2
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This coming Monday features the cruelest irony of our era: the national observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday against the backdrop of Donald J. Trump’s inauguration as president of the US.
But here we are. It’s horrendous.
But don’t get so perturbed as to think the end is near. It’s not. Another word is available; another world, promised. But it requires hearts willing to stand in the face of this squall, be prepared for raids on the unspeakable, listen from the underside of history, recall brave ancestors, gather with communities of conviction, assess in whose presence to stand and in whose presence to kneel, and trust the assurance that manna will appear in the wilderness and water flow from sheer rocks.
(By the way, my favorite concise statement of what Trump’s ascendance means is not by a nationally-known columnist or commentator, but by a Baptist journalist, Mark Wingfield. See his “If you plan to vote for Donald Trump . . .”)
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Hymn of resolve. “Oh Freedom.” —The Golden Gospel Singers
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There is no lack of reading material in preparation for commemorating the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birth. (Here are some resource materials at prayer&politiks.)
But if there’s one thing I would urge you to read (or listen to), it’s the short excerpt from his book, Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story, where King describes his “kitchen table conversion.” (Printed at bottom. Audio in his own voice (4:26), a poignant account of how he came close to giving up under the pressure of threats to him, his wife, and infant daughter.)
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Altar call. “Now the war is not over, victory isn’t won / And we’ll fight on to the finish, then when it’s all done / We’ll cry glory, oh glory.” —“Glory,” John Legend
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The unruly truth is that spiritually forming experiences typically blossom in contexts of risk, when we come to the end of our rope, when resources of ingenuity and strength appear all but exhausted, when imaginable assets are depleted.
The pertinent text here is that odd statement from John’s Gospel—and this is one time I love the florid wording of King Jimmy’s translation: “But the one that doeth truth cometh to the light. . . .” (3:21)
Faith is not the propositions we affirm, the rituals we practice, the moral code we observe, or the pious emotions we experience.
No, biblical faith is an inherently kinetic experience. By its very nature, such faith has an animating quality. Insights can be refined, clarified, and cultivated by our theology, our rituals, our ethical commitments, and our emotive intelligence. But the walking comes first.
Every worthy educator knows the wisdom of this proverb: “I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.” Or as Yoda would say: “Do. Or do not. There is no try.”
In this season of Epiphany (“revealing”), the testimony of Dr. King—and the host of other Civil Rights Movement actors, some known, many unheralded, most unnamed—provide critical instruction as we move toward Lent.
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Benediction. “Precious Lord.” —Mahalia Jackson singing King’s favorite hymn
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