As we pray and work to help the victims of the devastating earthquake in Haiti many of us are also planning to remember and honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Many communities will embark on days of service and many people will attend events to remember and honor Dr. King, but also to be inspired to live and work in ways consistent with his call to action. Over at “Textweek.com” there are many resources for MLK, Jr. day.
What would Dr. King have to say about the earthquake in Haiti? Likely, he would have stressed the interconnectedness between people, and the radical call to action on behalf of those who are poor and suffering. “We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly”
Dr. King’s words from the Letter from a Birmingham Jail provide yet another rationale for digging deeply into our hearts (and wallets) as we reach out to the victims in Haiti.
Here is an excerpt:
“Moreover, I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states. I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provincial “outside agitator” idea.”