This is the concluding lines of King's direct conversation on tough-minded and soft-minded people.
There is little hope for us until we become toughminded enough to break loose from the shackles of prejudice, half-truths, and downright ignorance. The shape of the world today does not permit us the luxury of softmindedness. A nation or a civilization that continues to produce softminded men purchases its own spiritual death on an installment plan.
Fear that is able to brew into hatred not only works to destroy the one who is hated, it destroys the one who fears. No one really sees it coming. In fact, most of the time it goes unnoticed. In the meantime, there are many scapegoats created and eliminated. This happens within the light of daylight but within fear-filled lives that must stir up the world around them so that they do not have to deal with the death of their own spirit of life. The victor in many wars often is consumed in the victory because they do not see the fear that drives them to hate. They lose touch with themselves and must be healed - made whole. The only way to be made whole is to become whole with all who would be cast out as evil, other, wrong, broken, dirty...etc. When we are soft-minded people, we do not take the time, energy or prayerfulness to face the other side and entertain how we can be one whole. Fear avoids healing....therefore we are left with hate and brutality when we could be living within the promise of God's Reign.
Connection: It is not easy to be healed. It is a process that keeps opening us up to new ways to be healed...and that is not always a welcome part of our life journey. And yet, today becomes an opportunity to face the healing tough of our God through our life with others.
Connect us to your people, O God...all your people. We know it will not be easy, but we know that we will be blessed along the way. Be our encouragement. Amen.l
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