In Honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.: Do You Have the Strength to Love?

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Martin Luther King JrThe Power of One Man’s Words and Actions

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. set out on a journey inspiring our nation through the power of words and action. He was courageous enough to rise up to the injustices of the world and stand up and speak out for all people.

The nation clung to his words and the truth he spoke resonated in the hearts of millions. One sermon series, in particular, was entitled, “Strength to Love.”

Dr. King boldly asked the people of our nation:

Do You Have the Strength to Love?

It is a jaw-dropping, awe-inspiring question that makes you think.  Am I choosing love or relying on the ease of letting bitterness or discord seep into my life?

What It Takes To Have the Strength to Love

Love isn’t easy.  It’s not the cakewalk the movies make it out to be.  But anything worth its weight in gold rarely is.

We all know that love can be every bit exhausting, complicated, demanding and challenging; yet…

Love can magically transform into invigorating pride, joy, and an insurmountable strength that unites and bonds against all odds.

Love requires work. It requires us to rise and challenge ourselves to reach new heights.

Dr. King understood that it requires a certain boldness to believe in something more, to rise up to something better. He tested the people’s strength through this question and made our nation rethink their character and lives.

The Secret to Strengthening Love

Through his faith, he shared a revolutionary secret that could save the lives and soften the hearts of many. He beautifully passed it on to the people of Alabama through his sermons, and over the course of time, this message transcended across the world through an amazing ripple effect.

He shared the message:  We all must strengthen our ability to love.  Here’s the secret… the way we do this is by asking ourselves:

“Life’s most persistent and urgent question — What are you doing for others?”

We must not let this essential component and foundation of our world fall to the wayside.  Like anything in life, that which is left unattended, forgotten and ignored, will atrophy and waste away.  Let us not get so caught up in our own lives that we forget to help our fellow man and neighbors.  We must practice, harness and nurture our strength and power to love through our service to others.

In honor of the powerful and inspiring legacy that Martin Luther King, Jr. left behind and this National Day of Service, we are asking: What are the ways in which you and your family choose love?