Monday, January 18, 2010

Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, Malcom X...what happened?

As a young and impressionable teen I had such zeal for fighting for the down trodden, the under dog, the ones who had no one to fight for them. I would be the one who would always take a stand against the tide to fight for the rights of those "I" felt were being oppressed. I wanted the good guy to finish first for once, I wanted the homeless and hungry to have a roof over their head and food to fill their starving bellys. I wanted rights for all, especially, those being oppressed for something as superficial as the color of their skin. I devoured anything that had to do with civil rights, aparthied, the holocaust, etc...I know what some of you may be thinking..."What does this have to do with MLK Jr. day, etc. Well...the leaders of yesterday that has made my world what is today were simply men that God made and placed a conviction in their hearts the desire to better their world around them and I so wanted to follow in their footsteps and be a trail blazer fighting for the rights of others. Now some 20 years later I reflect on this day America has dedicated to honoring one of those trailblazers to ask myself what happened to my zeal? What has changed in myself? I guess like many of us I have let life go by and time slip through the proverbial hour glass thinking "I can do something tomorrow, or I let life's hurts chisel away at my heart"...sure I've thrown money in a red pot at Christmas and my family sponsors a child in Africa, and my husband has been very patient with MANY of my attempts to "help" others, but I think today is the day to start really doing something for others no matter what it takes or sacrifices on my part. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his life fighting for the civil rights of African-Americans. I believe with all my heart that God made me the way I am so that I can be a voice for those who don't have one, to stand up for those who have no one, and to not fear what others think for the betterment of society. Every day I pray I die to self and live for Christ and every day I fail miserably so once again today I pray to die to self and live for Christ and not let another minute go by that I don't fight for the rights of others! So I ask you to do one thing today to help others, donate to Haiti, feed the hungry, pray for the helpless...JUST DO SOMETHING!!! If we don't who will???

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