Today as we celebrate life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we are reminded of the battle of good against evil. By the message he spoke we are challenged to rise up and live as Christ would have us, to be morally upright, impartial to all men, defenders of right and of our fellow man, and wholehearted followers of Christ.

This would be a good day for contemplation, prayer, and submission to our Lord. It is a day to recommit ourselves personally to living lives that give and serve others rather than living self-serving lives. It is a day to remember how small we are and how little we know, but how great is our God and how He will accomplish His plans in our world.

Dr. King said,

“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.”

Such deep truth is held in that statement, especially in light of scripture, specifically from the book of 1 John where it states

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. 1 John 4:7-14

Love transforms. Love transforms because God is love. God is a transforming power in individuals, in relationships, in societies, and in the world at large. For love to transform us, we have to know love – to know God. Then we allow Him to work first in our personal life to transform each of us. After that love grows and spreads and God transforms our relationships where enemies become friends. then from those intimate relationships God transforms societies and the world. It is a process. It must begin in my heart and yours as we allow the Holy Spirit to transform us.

“Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness. ” ~ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

It is our choice in life whether we allow God to do His transforming work in us. Will we walk in destructive selfishness today, or will we walk as men and women of God imitating His benevolent love, kindness, goodness, mercy and grace to the world? Let us contemplate our life today in light of God’s love and His expectations for how we treat humanity.