Monday, January 17, 2011

"Now Is the Time to Make Real the Promise"

A brief reflection on time, taken from a letter from Martin Luther King Jr. to white clergy, on the occasion of his arrest and imprisonment in Birmingham, Alabama, for "parading without a permit" in an effort to end legal segregation in that city. For the full text of the letter (which I read once a year, every year--a practice I recommend wholeheartedly), click here.

Human progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability; it comes through the tireless efforts of men willing to be co workers with God, and without this hard work, time itself becomes an ally of the forces of social stagnation. We must use time creatively, in the knowledge that the time is always ripe to do right.

1 comment:

Jessica M said...

A really meaningful quote. Thanks for sharing! I will be sure to read the entire text...I find Martin Luther King Jr. a really inspiring individual not only for his pursuits of equality and justice but also for the emphasis he put on service towards others.

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