Before moving into a 3rd way in the quest for freedom, King addresses himself to the potential for violence.
And there are hardhearted and bitter individuals among us who would combat the opponent with physical violence and corroding hatred. Violence brings only temporary victories; violence, by creating many more social problems than it solves, never brings permanent peace. I am convinced that if we succumb to the temptation to use violence in our struggle for freedom, unborn generations will be the recipients of a long and desolate night of bitterness, and our chief legacy to them will be a never-ending reign of chaos. A voice, echoing through the corridors of time, says to every intemperate Peter, "Put up thy sword." History is cluttered with the wreckage of nations that failed to follow Christ's command.
The most painful part about reading today's piece is that I can be that hardhearted and bitter individual. Ahhhhh! It may not be in regard to race...but it infects other aspects of life and it is not creative at all. There are too many ways to carry a sword and whirl it around in an attempt to make the world into what I would like it to be. Even those "good reasons" that call forth some type of violence (even violence of the tongue) bring about only more and more violence and the degradation of all of life. The cycle must be stopped. The community of saints must find ways to confront and face down hardened hearts so that new life will emerge. Otherwise, we simply continue to spiral into the abyss of hatred and division that is this "never-ending reign of chaos."
Connection: When you catch yourself pulling out the sword today...do what you can to put it back or lay it to the side. Then again...you may be able to help someone near you do the same. We will all benefit from such action.
God of Peace and Love, we too easily walk away from your Reign and begin to rain down terror upon one another. Open our hearts to the way of your peaceable Reign and inspire us to walk there. Amen.
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