Pastor Dave recorded “Coffee With the Pastor” on Facebook this past Monday as a Special Edition to celebrate Martin Luther King’s birthday. Pastor Dave states that as the perspective of someone who is part of the baby boomer generation the impact that Dr. King’s had on him was tremendous. He listened to Dr. King’s sermons and speeches and he discovered a kindred spirit in their beliefs. The belief that the differences in appearances, which seem to make so much difference to some people, made no difference to him as they were in opposition of the teachings of Jesus Christ. The concept that people are different because they have difference in appearance is absurd. Dr. King realized that we should not judge people on the physical differences because they are meaningless when taking into consideration with how God sees us. He said in his “Dream” speech, if only we could develop a society that we would not be judged by the color of our skin and appearance but by the quality of our character. Pastor Dave appreciates his recognition of this fact and Dr. King’s wiliness to stand before others and say we are all human beings and when we try to differentiate each other by our appearance we are dishonoring God.
Pastor Dave is concerned on the race issues of today. He feels that the people of his generation have not adequately made clear to the generations that have followed what Dr. King’s vision was, that all people are the same before God and are all equally intitled to fairness, dignity, and respect. Dr. King believed in the equality of people regardless of where they were born, rich or poor, or what they looked like. Now in present day, we appear to be moving towards extremes on the left and right. People of extremes always insist that their own perspective is the correct and only one. We are shifting away from the belief that we are all individuals and equal in the eyes of God who should be judged in accordance with our own lives. We are placed into groups and categories like a caste system which is extremely dangerous to our nation and also the future of the church, as history has taught us many times over.
Pastor Dave encourages us to reflect back to the teachings of this great man of God, Dr. King. We must never forget that he was not only an activist for social justice, but he was a missionary for God teaching us to love God and to love one another. Dr. King would encourage us to all look in that mirror and stop seeing ourselves in a mass of individuals but see ourselves as God sees us, as His child.
Pastor Dave hopes you will read Dr. Kings’ writings and sermons so that you would come to know this true Christian Man.
