MLK and Christian unity

On Monday, we commemorate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and just a few days later, we can participate in the International Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Though likely unintended, there is a tie between these two occasions that reminds us of a goal Dr. King fought fiercely for and which is still not fully achieved.

Dr. King called all Americans to unity and reminded us of the power of obeying the biblical commandopens in a new tab for Christians to love one anotheropens in a new tab, seeking a unified society in the midst of deep division.

Here is how MLK, himself, put it:

“Modern man has brought this whole world to an awe-inspiring threshold of the future. He has reached new and astonishing peaks of scientific success. He has produced machines that think and instruments that peer into the unfathomable ranges of interstellar space. He has built gigantic bridges to span the seas and gargantuan buildings to kiss the skies. ...

“Yet, in spite of these spectacular strides in science and technology, and still unlimited ones to come, something basic is missing. There is a sort of poverty of the spirit which stands in glaring contrast to our scientific and technological abundance. ... We have learned to fly the air like birds and swim the sea like fish, but we have not learned the simple art of living together as brothers.”
Martin Luther King, Jr., Nobel Lecture, 1964opens in a new tab

The Christian call to brotherly love

The Bible is far from silent on this subject. God’s design for his people was for all to live in unity, first with him and then with their neighbors. The writers of the New Testament also urged believers to follow Christ’s example – his demonstration of the greatest kind of generosity that exists – his self-sacrificing love. Scripture is loaded with verses like these:

• In humility count others more significant than yourselves<em> (</em>Philippians 2:3opens in a new tab).

• Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2opens in a new tab).

• Bear with the weak … and not just please ourselves (Romans 15:1opens in a new tab).

• “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13opens in a new tab).

• “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35opens in a new tab, emphasis added).

These are the kinds of people we’re supposed to be, and those who don’t know Jesus are supposed to be able to recognize us by these putting-others-first behaviors. This is how they can know we really mean the things we say we believe and teach others. In one of his final prayers, Jesus asked God that all who would come to believe in him would have the same kind of unity he had with the Father!opens in a new tab

It stands to reason, then, that working toward unity with other believers in Christ is one of the most generous things we can do for each other and for a watching world. How many conflicts would be resolved and how many causes made more effective if Christian unity was a goal we strived for? And how much more would the world want to join us? After all, they will know we are Christians by our love.opens in a new tab

Dr. King led a powerfully generous life and ceaselessly sought unity. He understood he was part of God’s beloved community, not because of anything he had done, but because of what he had received as a gracious gift from his Savior. His vision for a unified society that values and dignifies all people led even to the loss of his life. How far are we willing to extend the generosity of Christ for the sake of another’s full participation in society?

We encourage you to pray today for the unity of all Christians, for the rights of all people, and that the Christian legacy of Dr. King would continue to inspire people to good works in all the days to come.

Jill Foley Turner

Jill Foley Turner is NCF’s Director of Content and Editorial. She leads the marketing team that curates content for NCF’s Saturday 7 newsletter. She loves writing stories from the Bible, stories about generous people, and articles about trends and research into what is happening in the world of giving.

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