Great morning to everyone. In less than a week the eyes of the world will be on the United States as President Barrack Obama begins his second term while we simultaneously celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. But Tom, I’m worried that celebrating with the President may cast a shadow so large that we fail to work with the King.
It is in fact prophetic for President Obama to be ushered into office on Monday. It personifies the timeless lesson of sowing and reaping. There was a massive, decades long sowing process by men and women all over the nation to push voting rights, civil rights, and human rights, that opened doors to the generation of our President to go places previously unimagined. President Obama has been able to reap an opportunity that was created through the sowing of a movement. As we celebrate his Inauguration we can’t lose site of the fact that following the reaping celebration the people always went back to sowing. See if the people celebrated one harvest perpetually, they would be hungry come next. And beloved…. we are hungry. It is time to sow with the King that we would be able to see the manifestation of new Obamas (for he will not always be president). In the business sector, academia, in churches and in homes. And how do we do that. We sow…. we work…and where you say?
Lets work in local school boards and state legislative bodies to create the kind of education system that has STEM programs and advance placement courses opposite art and music classes in EVERY school. For as we flood the economy with those that can create and advance new high technology, we still need artists, philosophers, teachers, and preachers to advance our culture and society. Our economy won’t change if those working in it do not.
Lets also work to advance REAL movements. From Trayvon and stand your ground to Chicago and black on black violence we are more interested in days of service than movements for social change. Social change only happens with social movement. So whether its NAACP, Urban League, National Action Network, a local church, your frat or sorority be a part of a group of people moving to create change vs. just talking about the need for it.
Finally know that being politically engaged is about more than electing a President. Work with him, challenge him, vote in local and midterm elections and write checks to candidates you support. Run for office young and committed people. Change the face of politics and you can change its results.
This Monday attend and embrace the celebrations of both men. But know when I say don’t miss working with the King; I’m not talking about MLK. I mean don’t miss the calling on our community from a God that has seen us overcome every challenge the enemy has ever sent.
It is that King that sent both Martin, and Barrack (the men) to earth for such a time in which they served. And now is our time to use our King given gifts to change a world in need. That’s what the President is living to do, and what King died doing.
