Reflection for September 22

In an act of sheer courage, or of Spirit-filled faith, King left his prepared speech when Mahalia Jackson, standing behind him, said, “Tell ‘em about the dream, Martin.” What followed was both a rhetorical tour de force and an illustration of the power of the Spirit, particularly for those of us who wouldn’t think of leaving our manuscripts even if Mahalia Jackson told us to. It was, in fact, a sermon. It convinced me that Christian faith led to involvement in the world not retreat from it, that the security, welfare and equal opportunity of all people were priorities for the God revealed in the Bible—and therefore priorities for the church (John M. Buchanan, “Converted in 1963,” Christian Century, September 18, 2013).