PURSUING YOUR BELIEFS

  

Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils of the city, in perils in the wilderness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fasting often, in cold and nakedness... (2 Corinthians 11:25-28)

  

This morning while watching the News, I saw many of our young people prepared to board busses for Washington D. C. in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington.  It made me proud to see them sacrifice their time to make such a trip knowing that they believed what was done 50 years ago by their grandparents made a difference in their lives today.  All of us should be willing to make sacrifices for pursuing our beliefs.

  

While autographing his first book, "Stride Toward Freedom," Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was attacked and stabbed by a crazed woman who plunged a letter opener into his chest.  Of course that experience was only one of many that tested his ability to suffer at the hands of others. Later, many of us remember his statement:  "In a few weeks a few of us are coming to Washington to see if the will to meet those challenges still lives  among us.  We are not coming to engage in any histrionic action.  We are not coming to tear up Washington.  We are coming to engage in dramatic, nonviolent action.  We are coming, and we will stay as long as we have to... We will suffer and die if we have to.  For I submit, nothing will be done until people put their bodies and souls into this."

  

As we compare that statement of Dr. King, and the passage by the Apostle Paul above, it is clear that they accepted the fact that there is a painful cost to pay for pursuing what you believe in.  Others will sometimes cause you bodily harm, and kill you if they can.  They will speak unfavorably of you even though you are trying to accomplish something that is right and will probably benefit them in the long run.  Neither The Apostle Paul, nor Dr. King gave up and stopped working toward those causes that they deemed important. 

  

When you experience hardship at the hands of others and you did nothing inappropriate to them to cause such treatment, God will reward you.  We must continue to stay focused on truth, justice, and freedom.  I applaud our young people who are willing to pursue their beliefs.