A Man's Dream versus God's Reality

       I have a dream......free at last, free at last. Thank God almighty we are free at last (http://www.examiner.com/article/martin-luther-king-day-quotes-thank-god-almighty-we-are-free-at-last). Many times, especially during my adult years, I have heard Martin Luther King Jr's most famous speech. When I was younger I used to cling to these words both seriously and proudly with the intent to show the world how far the black race has come and how far we will advance. A few years later while living in a new environment a roommate of mine and during that time also a mentor, who was then attending the same church as me gave me caution that the feelings churning inside of me, the lessons I was taught as a young man involving black power and strength was racism. After hearing his warning I suddenly took both my emotions and thoughts a step back. I did not respond to him. Looking inside myself I knew as a Christian, as an individual who has devoted himself and his life to Christ I had to reconsider some of my own thoughts and beliefs, some of them long held and compare them to God's plan.

       Jesus as a Jew was persecuted and tortured even though He was perfect and without sin. People felt offended by Him. Even His own people hated Him. He was drilled with many tricky questions and traps. The type of questions that would make any of us respond with a "why don't you mind your own business?!", or with a plain expletive, but He miraculously held His cool and answered their questions with such confidence and calmness that one could use Him as a basic answer towards anger management.

       What does Jesus have to do with Martin Luther King Jr? Much. As someone living within a family who left a major city to reside in a city hardly known by even residents of the state wherein it resides, a person who grew up as a child in a school system that hardly mentioned the famous Civil Rights Leader, I had to play catch up after graduating from high school and hearing more of this brave man during my very late teens and early twenties (college years). African Americans and some whites hold on to Martin Luther King Jr with a lot of pride and joy. He represents someone who stood up to the often barbaric way that the majority white as well as the upper class treated black people soon after slavery ended and at times even up to now. During the Civil Rights leader's time on earth there still existed white and black only restaurants and businesses. There were strictly black and white neighborhoods. Young black men were often picked on by cops, prosecuted and sentenced by local courts with hardly a fair trial. In the fifties and sixties a galvanization of the young black population occurred led by people like Dr King, Jesse Jackson, and Rep. John Lewis that has largely helped African Americans and other minorities gain more rights in America.

       Now African Americans have much rights and freedoms. Some have gone on to college and have been or are currently successful. There are many notable African American celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jordan, Forest Whitaker, Bill Cosby, and many more.Hospitals and schools within major cities, and the south region of the country employ plenty of black doctors, nurses, teachers, and other medical and scholastic employees of various professions. Some minorities have begun their own law offices, drug abuse clinics, and various major or small businesses. But sadly there are still millions of African Americans who face poverty, are sitting in jail with plus five year sentences, or are on parole. HIV/AIDS has hit the black community hard. Many African Americans are homeless, dependent on government welfare program. The African American family unit has suffered heavily from many social, spiritual blows, caused by many families not having a father in the home, individual African American adults who commonly involve themselves with more than one sex partner, increasing drug abuse problems, an over reliance on using sports and entertainment as a means of getting rich (comparable to hitting the jackpot) and a lack of inner responsibility toward taking care of children whom are often left to fend for themselves. Many of the high African American achievers who have gained much success have left their black friends and neighbors behind. Even family members have been left alone to as they say: "fend for themselves". This scenario relates to a popular comment often mentioned within the black community by both the young and old: "I'm looking out for my own". In other words "sink or swim". I am sure that if Martin Luther King Jr was still alive over the last few decades he would have made a whole lot of mentions maybe even several new speeches made directly to the African American communities to shape up and to the men, man up.He would speak directly to the selfishness burning withing the communities, families, and hearts of many African American individuals.He would tell over sexed hip hop performers, entertainers, and other such celebrities to stop sending the wrong message of raunchiness. He would tell the preachers to quit selling out the Civil Rights, and most importantly their own flock to the wrong message of pro-homosexuality.

       But the problem of much of African Americans in the United States as a whole is much bigger than any speech than any one man who has long since been assassinated can cure. The problem in this country is immense and even with there being a current black president, a few more senators, and congressmen, the problem is likely to grow bigger unless individuals begin seeking Jesus for the answer to their problems. Only God can provide the type of freedom struggling, angry members of the black community are seeking. The question is will they seek Him or will they continue to devote all their time and energy to the media and members of the army of politicians? Will they continue to replay and commentate on Dr King and his walk?

       14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. II Chronicles 7:14

God asks His people, that if those who call on His Name and intentionally follow Him, will humble themselves, pray, seek, him, and turn from their wicked ways, in other words repent, He will forgive them of their sins and replenish them. God will heal them from their worldly wounds. Famine, poverty, HIV/AIDS, sickle cell anemia, heart disease, asthma, diabetes would at last be conquered. Obesity, domestic violence would have a straight forward answer. Black on Black crime and violence would be purged.

       7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. John 15:7
       If individuals within the Black American community will remain in Jesus and keep God's words within their hearts and minds all of their requests would be answered. There would be no need to spend millions of dollars to win the lottery or bet one's entire youth toward making the NFL or obtaining a college scholarship. God will offer so much more if only Americans, as a people will humble ourselves and seek Him, First.
       This message does not just apply to African American. The same message applies to all people of every race or color for God shows no favoritism (Acts 10:34-35). For every ethnicity has at some point or another in the world's history received abuse or been treated unfairly by another ethnic group. Individuals are often abused and mistreated by members of their own race. People many times are mistreated by members of their own family via domestic violence, child, or sexual abuse, verbal abuse. Friends, co-workers, classmates, church members often violate each other. Abuse comes in many shapes and forms. 
       With God we as people both black, white, red, and yellow, don't have to dream. He already has the answer and we don't have to wait and depend upon the response of others. Just seek Him. Seek Him first and everything, all He has and more will be added unto you. Everyone will be judged, black or white, rich or poor, based upon their own performances and decisions made while their time was spent living here on earth. Some will go ahead to meet their Lord in Heaven, because the Great Equalizer, Jesus Christ came down here upon the earth and laid His life down for the Great Sacrifice. Yes, the Great Equalizer, here on earth. He died and rose again so that me and you, you and me do not have to spend our lives and sweat relying on another man's dream. We have access to the Great Reality. A reality filled with enough rewards that will endure for eternity.