Martin's Big Words

Yesterday I taught the Preschool Religious Education (RE) class, and we talked about Martin Luther King, Jr. I read the kids a story called "Martin's Big Words," which is a pretty good book to use to introduce Dr. King to young people up to about 1st grade.

I have also recently finished listening to "A Call to Conscience," a collection of Dr. King's speeches with introductions by other civil rights luminaries. Listening to his words is inspirational well beyond just seeing them in print.

I noticed a couple of things about Dr. King while listening to him speak over the last few weeks. First, he would always start off slowly, enunciating each word and syllable with great deliberation and intent. As he warmed to his subject, however, he would usually get into a rhythm - sounding like a preacher - and almost be singing some of the words. I wish I could have heard him speak live.

The second thing I noticed is that he does not give women much attention. The only times I heard any mention of females were his oft-repeated words "I have a dream of a time when "little black boys and black girls will join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers." Misogyny or just a sign of the times?

The most powerful lines I heard in all his speeches were about power and love. These words moved me so much I went back and listened to them over and over until I had committed them to memory, then I turned off the CD player and mulled them over. I still think about them every day.

One of the greatest problems of history is that the concepts of love and power are usually contrasted as polar opposites. Love is identified with a resignation of power and power with a denial of love... What is needed is a realization that power without love is reckless and abusive, and that love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice. Justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love.

Big words, indeed.