The Dream

Public Domain: Dr. Martin Luther King, jr. at 1963 March on Washington by USIA (NARA)

This Monday is an official Federal holiday.  It's a holiday to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr's birthday.  I'm going to guess everyone reading this blog knows who Martin Luther King Jr is.  If you don't, here is a link to some information about him:  http://www.thekingcenter.org/history/about-dr-king/ 

During the holiday, many people will talk about what Dr King would do today, or how his dream has been fulfilled in Obama's presidency.  I won't write about either of those things.  I won't write about how Dr King was perfect or imperfect.  No, I want to write about a line from Dr King's I have a dream speech, and if I don't get to verbose, I may add a line from another one of his speeches.

Dr King said: 

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I live this part of Dr King's dream each day.  You see, I live and work in a rural, mostly white area.  Some folks here are still  angry about the civil war.  Some proudly fly the Confederate flag.  I own a sporting goods store in this area.  As a black woman in this area, I have never had a customer "judge" me by the color of my skin.  I hope it is because my customers judge me by the content of my character.  This goes both ways.  I don't see someone with a rebel flag shirt on and label them racist.  You see, Dr King's dream, at least how I see it, was for us all to respect one another.  If I expect someone to respect me, I should also respect them.  I will not treat any my customers differently because of any of their race, financial status, or even, standing in the community.  I'm not looking at the outside appearance.  I'm looking at how they are inside- character.  Are they going to steal from me?  Are they cussing when they walk in my door?  Character.  I have learned that for the most part, my customers have it.  Every once in a while I have to call someone down for their language, or I'll find something taken out of it's package, but that's rare.

Really, when it comes down to it, this isn't Dr King's dream at all.  It's God's.  Listen, it's really nothing new.  In Matthew 7 there are some goodies on how we should treat one another.  It all comes down to this, though, Matthew 7:12 ESV:

So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

I guess we should implement this like Nike slogan says... JUST DO IT!