Another story about Mother Pollard as told by MLK,Jr. in "The Strength to Love."
On a particular Monday evening, following a tension-packed week which included being arrested and receiving numerous threatening telephone calls, I spoke at a mass meeting. I attempted to convey an overt impression of strength and courage, although I was inwardly depressed and fear-stricken. At the end of the meeting, Mother Pollard came to the front of the church and said, "Come here, son." I immediately went to her and hugged her affectionately. "Something is wrong with you," she said. "You didn't talk strong tonight." Seeking further to disguise my fear, I retorted, "Oh, no Mother Pollard nothing is wrong, I am feeling as fine as ever." But her insight was discerning. "Now you can't fool me," she said. " I knows something is wrong. Is it that we ain't doing things to please you? Or is it that the white folks is bothering you?" Before i could respond, she looked directly into my eyes and said, "I don told you we is with you all the way." Then her face became radiant and she said in words of quiet certainty, "But even if we ain't with you, God's gonna take care of you." As she spoke these consoling words, everything in me quivered and quickened with the pulsing tremor of raw energy.
This reminds me of the direction I will begin going next week. William Willimon writes about this God of ours who is pro nobis - for us. In the middle of any kind of day or any travails we must face or any deep hole we're walking in...God is gonna take care of you. That is a presence statement. It does not mean that all will go as we would like it to go. Rather, we will be walking in the embrace of our God whose Spirit will hold us up and keep moving us along the way within God's Reign even when the powers of the world try to upset the cart. No matter what might be the power that stands up against us, our God is for us. When God is for us, we are free to listen and to speak and to change our ways and to keep to our ways. Once God has claimed us - the story is over and the story is all ready to get started...all at once. King's reaction to Mother Pollard shows how we need all the voices around us to teach us about ourselves and about the God who promises to make us God's own. That "pulsating tremor of raw energy" is, I think, what the Scriptures refer to when it speaks of the fear/awe in the presence of the Lord, God. There was Mother Pollard and yet there was the God of Creation uttering -through her common character- the truthfulness that makes mere humans bold and courageous.
Connection: It is important to have people who can see us in the midst of our fears and help us acknowledge them. Fear is real and it can rob us of life if we do not know it is attempting to win us over.
Within the ordinary and common, O God, you continue to come and abide with us so that your Reign that you have promised becomes a reality within the steps of our lives. Grant us a measure of your encouraging presence and hopefulness. Amen.
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