THE MISFITS

THE MISFITS

I recall an old Movie called “The Misfits” starring Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe, Eli Wallache, and Montgomery Cliff. Now many people under the age of 45 might not know some of those famous actors. But, truly they were the Misfit’s in Hollywood land w/the exception of Eli he played a Mexican back during those days. Montgomery Cliff, Marilyn Monroe, and Clark Gable died shortly after making that movie Clark Gable died right after it wrapped.

 I need your attention. The reason I publish blogs is give you another perspective - plant a seed or inspire, (not to educate, but advocate) to broaden your perspective as viewed through another lens.

 These humans who endured much humiliation during a brief period of life when GOD is prepping for His service in training. 

Isn't it a mystery how He’ll take a wretch like Apostle Paul strip away all the material things and vain glory that accompanies false pride.We are tempted in our flesh with our limited sight we see our wants as needs accumulating an abundance of material wealth, status quo acceptance,  power, and for some celebrity or fame. Until finally one day when GOD gets ready to show Himself to you things begin to change beyond your control.

Paul told the same story the same way (he was a murderer of Christians followers of Jesus), he wrote most of the New Testament. GOD used Him to save the gentiles just had this one testimony he repeated each time...

"I was on the road to Damascus, all of sudden I heard a voice calling my name Saul, why does thou persecute me a bright light blinded me, and I fell of my beast" 

For every level there's a new Devil. All of sudden before you know it once again GOD has raised you up from the ashes to prove to the World...

to those who live in doubt, pain, and confusion the Gospels were to provide a blueprint-proof a living testimony which helps us all to understand that we all must submit and be willing to come "Under GODs Authority"  

 *Misfits exist as living proof a Witness of how GOD will use ordinary people to bring about extrodinary things in His WORLD, create a movement inorder to bringh forth HIS Purpose to Glorify Him he said...

"I AM" that I AM" 

Abraham

Issac

Jacob

Moses

David

King Solomon

*Jesus ~ Began His ministry age 30 only lived in the flesh for 33 yrs. during his life - In the Order of *Melchizedek Priesthood, which is “after the Order of the Son of God” (D&C 107:3), is the greater of these. 

*He Lives!

• Emmit Till - from Chicago on Summer Vacation falsely accused by hateful White Men and his wife, her husband,his brother Tortured and killed in Money Mississippi died violently at age -14

• · Medgar Evers ~ Voting & Civil Rights Activist, Fatally shot died violently in his driveway in front of his wife and kids At home assassinated - age 38

• · Malcolm X ~ Prophet, Minister of Islam, Black leader Fatally shot before his wife and children Publicly assassinated- age 40

• · MLK, Jr. ~ Prophet, Baptist Minister, Black leader Mortally shot in the head Publicly assassinated - age 39

• · M Ghandi~Activist,died violently for his beliefs, power was assassinated - age 79

• · JFKennedy ~ Youngest President, Mortally shot in the head beside his wife Publicly assassinated - age 46

• · RFKennedy~ US Senator, Mortally   shot in the head in a Hotel kitchen in front of his wife Publicly assassinated - age 43

*Were scorned, ridiculed, crucified, jailed, violently murdered their accuser's called them vicous names like Communist, treasonous, traitors, rebel rouser's, False Prophet's, they even accused them of being the Devil and a threats to society.  All because of held beliefs, Faith, and hope for a better world.

Still  recognized to this day as Legends, Heros - discussed, analyzed, or written about

 "Raised UP"

Hundreds of gifted Artists,Musical Legends & Icons

Sam Cooke
James Brown
Aretha Franklin
Mahalia Jackson
Prince
Maurice White
Michael Jackson
Elvis
John Lennon
Muhammad Ali
the lists goes on and on... it has been passed down to the Hip Hop Generation

ALL were called to serve a higher purpose by GOD than they had planned for themselves.  None of them with the exception of Jesus of Nazareth began life's journey knowing how life would end.

Let's imagine if you took a trip "Back To the Future, we time traveled back to AD landed in the village where Jesus grew up ancient Israel and told them that Jesus of Nazareth is still larger than life in the 21st century some 2000+ years.  They would be laughing out loud while they hung you on a cross!

Point is, these are clear examples of historical figures some who were Leaders among Men. Publicy ridiculed for their STAND would lose their lives;but ironically, while they lived above ground were judged by the public ridiculed and scorned. 

Misfits spend a degree of their time living around disgruntled societies people who hated them wishing death upon them, lived with daily threats from lowest to highest officials followed them, monitoring, and taping private conversations or having intimate sex just to belittle their character's defamation or a frame for illicit behavior to discourage people from believing  in them or respecting their positions GOD assigned to them... I could dive into this more but this is just a blog not a novel.

Sometimes we don’t realize what our purpose is during our life span.  Most individuals value or worth isn't appreciated fully by others until after they've past away out of this world.  Then we grieve but all realize what a blessing it was to know them or benefit from their contributions some that have influenced future development of this world bringing people in unity with music, songs, and influence that changed lives opening doors that were once closed to certain people.  

"Next!"

 Martin Luther King, Jr., would not believe his statue is triangulated in Granite as a Monument between Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials' in the Nations Capital. Malcolm X would be overwhelmed by the many “people” no mater creeds, colors that revere and listen to his speeches which are still popular around the entire world because its a universal message for all races and cultures to adopt the philosophy concerning being treated like a human being, on this earth with self dignity and equality. 

Other celebrities who died tragically like Michael Jackson, Prince, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley,  Billie Holiday, and Sammy Davis Jr.,  are all considered to be "Misfits " they didn’t quite fit into society’s idea of how to behave.  Who to love and  always stepped way outside the box I mean colored way outside the lines. 

 Ignited so much love and passion in people they're now idolized in death their name or branding quadrupled.  These great entertainers established a brand that still makes people around the world react just listening or even watching a hologram  perform. Globally loved not just by America but actually loved more around the world.  What they all share in common are tabloid scandals, drugs, institutions, and tragic death.  Misfits die under humiliating circumstances too many to mention because they gave so much of themselves and GOD plucked them out of the world to rest.  Job well done they shall seek a final reward and that's "Eternal life." my Soul.... 

So while GOD is Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent God IS watching all of us as impossible or  awkward that might seem to you.

My words of expression come from my point of view only. Through my life lens for whatever purpose I bring to this earth is not for my own vain glory but to Edify, Glorify and acknowledge GOD. 

 Spirituality is felt inspired, and freely given in measure to each human being. 

The words spilling on the pages are a result of GOD's Spirit that lives inside of me, suddenly as I’m being inspired to compose these words, the background music in my head hears Will Downing so sweetly singing a ballad  called “No Love Intended” just wanted people that will take the time to read this rambling blog to understand  my heart is sincere.

Misfits are the sort of people who leave a mark on society not always getting recognized for the gifts they bring.  I believe GOD is always present no HE hasn’t left the building yet. 

 I don’t seem to fit in anybodies cliques, on social media when I began to engage online sharing my opinions, objections using social media networking it was revealed to not be afraid to confront some dire issues facing our World, 

 "My Race...."

  "The Human Race"

As a Woman specially designed by GOD… thrills me that what makes me whole.Validated is a wholesome kind of joy.

Unexplainable but knowing just that; seeds were planted inside of me GOD used many extrodinary people teaching me many, many hard lessons throughout my journey, day by day..lots of tears, fears, threats, experienced living homelessness, longsuffering, and along the way GOD protected me with many unexpected results. I'm still here, walking, living out my purpose. I learned how to forgive, let go, and love people inspite of myself.

I count it all JOY living single. I've come to understand having “that special Man” in my daily life GOD designed just for me, who'd cover me, prays with me the way GOD speaks of in His plan. 

I've had my share, trust and believe it wasn't the men who I encountered that failed me it was my inability to let go and allow GOD to bless me.  

He never meant for a Woman to work hard outside of her home she managed  her home her only assignment was always as Nurturer to the family. Building up the foundation making it possible for the family to thrive together, encouraging her Help Mate til death do us part.  

As Queen of her domain she's adored, cherished, and honored by her King (husband) for Life Partner, her Companion he protects with his life. She is trustworthy. Proverbs 31:11 says that “The heart of her husband trusts in her.” Someone so precious, a nurturer his wife! 

No one violated her honor showed her children were raised to exhibit much respect. Now it's called once upon a time "Fairy tales,"  I wanted that life and to become her raise my children at home have dinner on the table sit and pray and make love at night!  

God had other plans.

"To much is given, much is Required."

Instead of breaking down I always look up beyond the clouds and can smile through any circumstances just knowing “GOD's got this,” all I have to do each day is just show up study, pray , seek to be healthy and have a willingness to grow.  Do the homework with footwork.

  Allow Him to mold me into the person he wants me to become, that’s not an easy task, having such a rebellious spirit throughout my entire life. GOD has taught me how to be content in whatever state I’m in and have patience. 

Trusting GOD's timing has taught me to stay in my lane and know what he has provided for  my sister'her portion, and what he blesses me with is mine.  I learned not to covet have envy of other women - men based upon appearances.  We all have our own Cross to Bare.... Burdens we carry debts we have to pay. Outward appearances based on material things 99.999 percent of the time we're wrong about their plight in life.

I use to be intimidated early walk being a christian stained by my past I felt the decent church ladies might not understand or accept me or my past then  I discovered they had one too. Since that was revealed to me I've never been ashamed of who or what I am ever again. GOD gave me Purpose in life unique as my fingerprints.

That was life changing for me because once I submitted, GOD began to reveal more to me then once I released all of those selfish ways or be on borrowed time.

Why I blog the way I do it's simple, one day,  when I get older and fade away these pages will still exist here in cyberspace.  My children and grandchildren whom I"ve met and for the ones I might not ever meet will hopefully get a glimpse of my character or it'll be here to let somebody hurting just seeking an answer to a question~ know you are not alone or GOD made you unique going through changes in life is part of HIS plan to prepare you for duty to carryout His purpose for you while you exist in this World.  

There is always a tomorrow coming  from  another “Misfit’s point of view. Once you've completed your purpose serving GOD. He promotes us into Eternity to rest. Those we leave behind, our loved ones, friends, and acquaintences will have felt our mark on the world being remembered with love in  "Eternal Life."

 Feel good about yourself we all are still a work in progress with human frailties that’s why I know I'm not ready for prime time yet, still flawed with defects of charactrer I do use profanity  not just when I'm angry, often in jest too thats no not a slip it's my tongue. I'm still learning tact to control that too. Free Will!!!! is a Blessing and a Curse.

God sees through all our carnality because He's not carnal; Humans are!  We all have a purpose in life to fulfil that's what I was taught whatever you have a passion to do, perform that thing without dread or complaint. That's usually it!  (Thanks Bishop Jakes your ministry taught me how to live that.....)

Often times for most of us it comes without any thanks, or public reward.  In life you think you may deserve so much, but most successes are priceless. Let GOD use you in alright not to be in the public eye - spotlight... Don't get me wrong there's nothing wrong if have wealth because most Misfits enjoy life in the fast lane. They have access money, have openended credit some enjoy massive wealth during their whole life.  

Often imitated but never duplicated...They’ll never be another Martin, Malcom,  Medgar, JFK, RFK, Ghandi, Elvis Presley, Billie Holiday, Sammy Davis Jr, Prince, or Michael Jackson but you got alot of folks trying to inspired to emulate them.

Misfits are the people that you’ll never see duplicated no matter how many halograms others often imitator's may try! 

#StayFree

Peace & Love "Keep your head to the Sky"

@Lovleeannwise 2015  all rights reserved.         repost Oct 1, 2014 10:15am

Malcolm X Make It Plain (Full PBS Documentary)

@lovleeannwise  all rights reserved.

Martin Luther King The Three Evils of Society

http://empoweringspiritsfreeingurmind.blogspot.com/2015/01/celebrating-dr-martin-luther-king-jr.html

#speakfromthegrave 


@Lovleeannwise 2014   all rights reserved

Celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., "The Drum Major Instinct" Sermon

 REPOSTED: Original post Jan~2006 http://empoweringspiritsfreeingurmind.blogspot.com/2006/01/definition-of-greatness-featuring.html

DEFINITION OF GREATNESS/ Featuring The Historic "Drum Major Instinct Speech"

The Historic "Drum Major Instinct Speech" was delivered at Ebenezer Baptist Church, Atlanta, Georgia, on 4 February 1968. MLKEC.

This morning I would like to use as a subject from which to preach: "The Drum Major Instinct." "The Drum Major Instinct." And our text for the morning is taken from a very familiar passage in the tenth chapter as recorded by Saint Mark. Beginning with the thirty-fifth verse of that chapter, we read these words: "And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came unto him saying, ‘Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire.’ And he said unto them, ‘What would ye that I should do for you?’ And they said unto him, ‘Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.’ But Jesus said unto them, ‘Ye know not what ye ask: Can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?’ And they said unto him, ‘We can.’ And Jesus said unto them, ‘Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of, and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized: but to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.’"

And then Jesus goes on toward the end of that passage to say, "But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your servant: and whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all."

The setting is clear. James and John are making a specific request of the master. They had dreamed, as most of the Hebrews dreamed, of a coming king of Israel who would set Jerusalem free and establish his kingdom on Mount Zion, and in righteousness rule the world. And they thought of Jesus as this kind of king. And they were thinking of that day when Jesus would reign supreme as this new king of Israel. And they were saying, "Now when you establish your kingdom, let one of us sit on the right hand and the other on the left hand of your throne."

Now very quickly, we would automatically condemn James and John, and we would say they were selfish. Why would they make such a selfish request? But before we condemn them too quickly, let us look calmly and honestly at ourselves, and we will discover that we too have those same basic desires for recognition, for importance. That same desire for attention, that same desire to be first. Of course, the other disciples got mad with James and John, and you could understand why, but we must understand that we have some of the same James and John qualities. And there is deep down within all of us an instinct. It's a kind of drum major instinct—a desire to be out front, a desire to lead the parade, a desire to be first. And it is something that runs the whole gamut of life.

And so before we condemn them, let us see that we all have the drum major instinct. We all want to be important, to surpass others, to achieve distinction, to lead the parade. Alfred Adler, the great psychoanalyst, contends that this is the dominant impulse. Sigmund Freud used to contend that sex was the dominant impulse, and Adler came with a new argument saying that this quest for recognition, this desire for attention, this desire for distinction is the basic impulse, the basic drive of human life, this drum major instinct.

And you know, we begin early to ask life to put us first. Our first cry as a baby was a bid for attention. And all through childhood the drum major impulse or instinct is a major obsession. Children ask life to grant them first place. They are a little bundle of ego. And they have innately the drum major impulse or the drum major instinct.

Now in adult life, we still have it, and we really never get by it. We like to do something good. And you know, we like to be praised for it. Now if you don't believe that, you just go on living life, and you will discover very soon that you like to be praised. Everybody likes it, as a matter of fact. And somehow this warm glow we feel when we are praised or when our name is in print is something of the vitamin A to our ego. Nobody is unhappy when they are praised, even if they know they don't deserve it and even if they don't believe it. The only unhappy people about praise is when that praise is going too much toward somebody else. (That’s right) But everybody likes to be praised because of this real drum major instinct.

Now the presence of the drum major instinct is why so many people are "joiners." You know, there are some people who just join everything. And it's really a quest for attention and recognition and importance. And they get names that give them that impression. So you get your groups, and they become the "Grand Patron," and the little fellow who is henpecked at home needs a chance to be the "Most Worthy of the Most Worthy" of something. It is the drum major impulse and longing that runs the gamut of human life. And so we see it everywhere, this quest for recognition. And we join things, overjoin really, that we think that we will find that recognition in.

Now the presence of this instinct explains why we are so often taken by advertisers. You know, those gentlemen of massive verbal persuasion. And they have a way of saying things to you that kind of gets you into buying. In order to be a man of distinction, you must drink this whiskey. In order to make your neighbors envious, you must drive this type of car. (Make it plain)

In order to be lovely to love you must wear this kind of lipstick or this kind of perfume. And you know, before you know it, you're just buying that stuff. (Yes) That's the way the advertisers do it.

I got a letter the other day, and it was a new magazine coming out. And it opened up, "Dear Dr. King: As you know, you are on many mailing lists. And you are categorized as highly intelligent, progressive, a lover of the arts and the sciences, and I know you will want to read what I have to say." Of course I did. After you said all of that and explained me so exactly, of course I wanted to read it. [laughter]

But very seriously, it goes through life; the drum major instinct is real. (Yes) And you know what else it causes to happen? It often causes us to live above our means. (Make it plain) It's nothing but the drum major instinct. Do you ever see people buy cars that they can't even begin to buy in terms of their income? (Amen) [laughter] You've seen people riding around in Cadillacs and Chryslers who don't earn enough to have a good T-Model Ford. (Make it plain) But it feeds a repressed ego.

You know, economists tell us that your automobile should not cost more than half of your annual income. So if you make an income of five thousand dollars, your car shouldn't cost more than about twenty-five hundred. That's just good economics. And if it's a family of two, and both members of the family make ten thousand dollars, they would have to make out with one car. That would be good economics, although it's often inconvenient. But so often, haven't you seen people making five thousand dollars a year and driving a car that costs six thousand? And they wonder why their ends never meet. [laughter] That's a fact.

Now the economists also say that your house shouldn't cost—if you're buying a house, it shouldn't cost more than twice your income. That's based on the economy and how you would make ends meet. So, if you have an income of five thousand dollars, it's kind of difficult in this society. But say it's a family with an income of ten thousand dollars, the house shouldn't cost much more than twenty thousand. Well, I've seen folk making ten thousand dollars, living in a forty- and fifty-thousand-dollar house. And you know they just barely make it. They get a check every month somewhere, and they owe all of that out before it comes in. Never have anything to put away for rainy days.

But now the problem is, it is the drum major instinct. And you know, you see people over and over again with the drum major instinct taking them over. And they just live their lives trying to outdo the Joneses. (Amen) They got to get this coat because this particular coat is a little better and a little better-looking than Mary's coat. And I got to drive this car because it's something about this car that makes my car a little better than my neighbor's car. (Amen) I know a man who used to live in a thirty-five-thousand-dollar house. And other people started building thirty-five-thousand-dollar houses, so he built a seventy-five-thousand-dollar house. And then somebody else built a seventy-five-thousand-dollar house, and he built a hundred-thousand-dollar house. And I don't know where he's going to end up if he's going to live his life trying to keep up with the Joneses.

There comes a time that the drum major instinct can become destructive. (Make it plain) And that's where I want to move now. I want to move to the point of saying that if this instinct is not harnessed, it becomes a very dangerous, pernicious instinct. For instance, if it isn’t harnessed, it causes one's personality to become distorted. I guess that's the most damaging aspect of it: what it does to the personality. If it isn't harnessed, you will end up day in and day out trying to deal with your ego problem by boasting. Have you ever heard people that—you know, and I'm sure you've met them—that really become sickening because they just sit up all the time talking about themselves. (Amen) And they just boast and boast and boast, and that's the person who has not harnessed the drum major instinct.

And then it does other things to the personality. It causes you to lie about who you know sometimes. (Amen, Make it plain) There are some people who are influence peddlers. And in their attempt to deal with the drum major instinct, they have to try to identify with the so-called big-name people. (Yeah, Make it plain) And if you're not careful, they will make you think they know somebody that they don't really know. (Amen) They know them well, they sip tea with them, and they this-and-that. That happens to people.

And the other thing is that it causes one to engage ultimately in activities that are merely used to get attention. Criminologists tell us that some people are driven to crime because of this drum major instinct. They don't feel that they are getting enough attention through the normal channels of social behavior, and so they turn to anti-social behavior in order to get attention, in order to feel important. (Yeah) And so they get that gun, and before they know it they robbed a bank in a quest for recognition, in a quest for importance.

And then the final great tragedy of the distorted personality is the fact that when one fails to harness this instinct, (Glory to God) he ends up trying to push others down in order to push himself up. (Amen) And whenever you do that, you engage in some of the most vicious activities. You will spread evil, vicious, lying gossip on people, because you are trying to pull them down in order to push yourself up. (Make it plain) And the great issue of life is to harness the drum major instinct.

Now the other problem is, when you don't harness the drum major instinct—this uncontrolled aspect of it—is that it leads to snobbish exclusivism. It leads to snobbish exclusivism. (Make it plain) And you know, this is the danger of social clubs and fraternities—I'm in a fraternity; I'm in two or three—for sororities and all of these, I'm not talking against them. I'm saying it's the danger. The danger is that they can become forces of classism and exclusivism where somehow you get a degree of satisfaction because you are in something exclusive. And that's fulfilling something, you know—that I'm in this fraternity, and it's the best fraternity in the world, and everybody can't get in this fraternity. So it ends up, you know, a very exclusive kind of thing.

And you know, that can happen with the church; I know churches get in that bind sometimes. (Amen, Make it plain) I've been to churches, you know, and they say, "We have so many doctors, and so many school teachers, and so many lawyers, and so many businessmen in our church." And that's fine, because doctors need to go to church, and lawyers, and businessmen, teachers—they ought to be in church. But they say that—even the preacher sometimes will go all through that—they say that as if the other people don't count. (Amen)

And the church is the one place where a doctor ought to forget that he's a doctor. The church is the one place where a Ph.D. ought to forget that he's a Ph.D. (Yes) The church is the one place that the school teacher ought to forget the degree she has behind her name. The church is the one place where the lawyer ought to forget that he's a lawyer. And any church that violates the "whosoever will, let him come" doctrine is a dead, cold church, (Yes) and nothing but a little social club with a thin veneer of religiosity.

When the church is true to its nature, (Whoo) it says, "Whosoever will, let him come." (Yes) And it does not supposed to satisfy the perverted uses of the drum major instinct. It's the one place where everybody should be the same, standing before a common master and savior. (Yes, sir) And a recognition grows out of this—that all men are brothers because they are children (Yes) of a common father.

The drum major instinct can lead to exclusivism in one's thinking and can lead one to feel that because he has some training, he's a little better than that person who doesn't have it. Or because he has some economic security, that he's a little better than that person who doesn't have it. And that's the uncontrolled, perverted use of the drum major instinct.

Now the other thing is, that it leads to tragic—and we've seen it happen so often—tragic race prejudice. Many who have written about this problem—Lillian Smith used to say it beautifully in some of her books. And she would say it to the point of getting men and women to see the source of the problem. Do you know that a lot of the race problem grows out of the drum major instinct? A need that some people have to feel superior. A need that some people have to feel that they are first, and to feel that their white skin ordained them to be first. (Make it plain, today, ‘cause I’m against it, so help me God) And they have said over and over again in ways that we see with our own eyes. In fact, not too long ago, a man down in Mississippi said that God was a charter member of the White Citizens Council.

And so God being the charter member means that everybody who's in that has a kind of divinity, a kind of superiority. And think of what has happened in history as a result of this perverted use of the drum major instinct. It has led to the most tragic prejudice, the most tragic expressions of man's inhumanity to man.

The other day I was saying, I always try to do a little converting when I'm in jail. And when we were in jail in Birmingham the other day, the white wardens and all enjoyed coming around the cell to talk about the race problem. And they were showing us where we were so wrong demonstrating. And they were showing us where segregation was so right. And they were showing us where intermarriage was so wrong. So I would get to preaching, and we would get to talking—calmly, because they wanted to talk about it. And then we got down one day to the point—that was the second or third day—to talk about where they lived, and how much they were earning.

And when those brothers told me what they were earning, I said, "Now, you know what? You ought to be marching with us. [laughter] You're just as poor as Negroes." And I said, "You are put in the position of supporting your oppressor, because through prejudice and blindness, you fail to see that the same forces that oppress Negroes in American society oppress poor white people. (Yes) And all you are living on is the satisfaction of your skin being white, and the drum major instinct of thinking that you are somebody big because you are white. And you're so poor you can't send your children to school. You ought to be out here marching with every one of us every time we have a march."

Now that's a fact. That the poor white has been put into this position, where through blindness and prejudice, (Make it plain) he is forced to support his oppressors. And the only thing he has going for him is the false feeling that he’s superior because his skin is white—and can't hardly eat and make his ends meet week in and week out. (Amen)

And not only does this thing go into the racial struggle, it goes into the struggle between nations. And I would submit to you this morning that what is wrong in the world today is that the nations of the world are engaged in a bitter, colossal contest for supremacy. And if something doesn't happen to stop this trend, I'm sorely afraid that we won't be here to talk about Jesus Christ and about God and about brotherhood too many more years. (Yeah) If somebody doesn't bring an end to this suicidal thrust that we see in the world today, none of us are going to be around, because somebody's going to make the mistake through our senseless blunderings of dropping a nuclear bomb somewhere. And then another one is going to drop. And don't let anybody fool you, this can happen within a matter of seconds. (Amen) They have twenty-megaton bombs in Russia right now that can destroy a city as big as New York in three seconds, with everybody wiped away, and every building. And we can do the same thing to Russia and China.

But this is why we are drifting. And we are drifting there because nations are caught up with the drum major instinct. "I must be first." "I must be supreme." "Our nation must rule the world." (Preach it) And I am sad to say that the nation in which we live is the supreme culprit. And I'm going to continue to say it to America, because I love this country too much to see the drift that it has taken.

God didn't call America to do what she's doing in the world now. (Preach it, preach it) God didn't call America to engage in a senseless, unjust war as the war in Vietnam. And we are criminals in that war. We’ve committed more war crimes almost than any nation in the world, and I'm going to continue to say it. And we won't stop it because of our pride and our arrogance as a nation.
But God has a way of even putting nations in their place. (Amen) The God that I worship has a way of saying, "Don't play with me." (Yes) He has a way of saying, as the God of the Old Testament used to say to the Hebrews, "Don’t play with me, Israel. Don't play with me, Babylon. (Yes) Be still and know that I'm God. And if you don't stop your reckless course, I'll rise up and break the backbone of your power." (Yes) And that can happen to America. (Yes) Every now and then I go back and read Gibbons' Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. And when I come and look at America, I say to myself, the parallels are frightening. And we have perverted the drum major instinct.

But let me rush on to my conclusion, because I want you to see what Jesus was really saying. What was the answer that Jesus gave these men? It's very interesting. One would have thought that Jesus would have condemned them. One would have thought that Jesus would have said, "You are out of your place. You are selfish. Why would you raise such a question?"

But that isn't what Jesus did; he did something altogether different. He said in substance, "Oh, I see, you want to be first. You want to be great. You want to be important. You want to be significant. Well, you ought to be. If you're going to be my disciple, you must be." But he reordered priorities. And he said, "Yes, don't give up this instinct. It's a good instinct if you use it right. (Yes) It's a good instinct if you don't distort it and pervert it. Don't give it up. Keep feeling the need for being important. Keep feeling the need for being first. But I want you to be first in love. (Amen) I want you to be first in moral excellence. I want you to be first in generosity. That is what I want you to do."

And he transformed the situation by giving a new definition of greatness. And you know how he said it? He said, "Now brethren, I can't give you greatness. And really, I can't make you first." This is what Jesus said to James and John. "You must earn it. True greatness comes not by favoritism, but by fitness. And the right hand and the left are not mine to give, they belong to those who are prepared." (Amen)

And so Jesus gave us a new norm of greatness. If you want to be important—wonderful. If you want to be recognized—wonderful. If you want to be great—wonderful. But recognize that he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. (Amen) That's a new definition of greatness.
And this morning, the thing that I like about it: by giving that definition of greatness, it means that everybody can be great, (Everybody) because everybody can serve. (Amen) You don't have to have a college degree to serve. (All right) You don't have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. You don't have to know about Plato and Aristotle to serve. You don't have to know Einstein's theory of relativity to serve. You don't have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. (Amen) You only need a heart full of grace, (Yes, sir, Amen) a soul generated by love. (Yes) And you can be that servant.

I know a man—and I just want to talk about him a minute, and maybe you will discover who I'm talking about as I go down the way (Yeah) because he was a great one. And he just went about serving. He was born in an obscure village, (Yes, sir) the child of a poor peasant woman. And then he grew up in still another obscure village, where he worked as a carpenter until he was thirty years old. (Amen) Then for three years, he just got on his feet, and he was an itinerant preacher. And he went about doing some things. He didn't have much. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family. (Yes) He never owned a house. He never went to college. He never visited a big city. He never went two hundred miles from where he was born. He did none of the usual things that the world would associate with greatness. He had no credentials but himself.

He was only thirty-three when the tide of public opinion turned against him. They called him a rabble-rouser. They called him a troublemaker. They said he was an agitator. (Glory to God) He practiced civil disobedience; he broke injunctions. And so he was turned over to his enemies and went through the mockery of a trial. And the irony of it all is that his friends turned him over to them. (Amen) One of his closest friends denied him. Another of his friends turned him over to his enemies. And while he was dying, the people who killed him gambled for his clothing, the only possession that he had in the world. (Lord help him) When he was dead he was buried in a borrowed tomb, through the pity of a friend.

Nineteen centuries have come and gone and today he stands as the most influential figure that ever entered human history. All of the armies that ever marched, all the navies that ever sailed, all the parliaments that ever sat, and all the kings that ever reigned put together (Yes) have not affected the life of man on this earth (Amen) as much as that one solitary life. His name may be a familiar one. (Jesus) But today I can hear them talking about him.

Every now and then somebody says, "He's King of Kings." (Yes) And again I can hear somebody saying, "He's Lord of Lords." Somewhere else I can hear somebody saying, "In Christ there is no East nor West." (Yes) And then they go on and talk about, "In Him there's no North and South, but one great Fellowship of Love throughout the whole wide world." He didn't have anything. (Amen) He just went around serving and doing good.

This morning, you can be on his right hand and his left hand if you serve. (Amen) It's the only way in.

Every now and then I guess we all think realistically (Yes, sir) about that day when we will be victimized with what is life's final common denominator—that something that we call death. We all think about it. And every now and then I think about my own death and I think about my own funeral. And I don't think of it in a morbid sense. And every now and then I ask myself,

"What is it that I would want said?" And I leave the word to you this morning.

If any of you are around when I have to meet my day, I don’t want a long funeral. And if you get somebody to deliver the eulogy, tell them not to talk too long. (Yes) And every now and then I wonder what I want them to say. Tell them not to mention that I have a Nobel Peace Prize—that isn’t important. Tell them not to mention that I have three or four hundred other awards—that’s not important. Tell them not to mention where I went to school. (Yes)
I'd like somebody to mention that day that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to give his life serving others. (Yes)

I'd like for somebody to say that day that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to love somebody.
I want you to say that day that I tried to be right on the war question. (Amen)
I want you to be able to say that day that I did try to feed the hungry. (Yes)
And I want you to be able to say that day that I did try in my life to clothe those who were naked. (Yes)

I want you to say on that day that I did try in my life to visit those who were in prison. (Lord)
I want you to say that I tried to love and serve humanity. (Yes)

Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. (Amen) Say that I was a drum major for peace. (Yes)
I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter. (Yes) I won't have any money to leave behind. I won't have the fine and luxurious things of life to leave behind. But I just want to leave a committed life behind. (Amen)

And that's all I want to say.

"If I can help somebody as I pass along,
If I can cheer somebody with a word or song,
If I can show somebody he's traveling wrong,
Then my living will not be in vain.
If I can do my duty as a Christian ought,
If I can bring salvation to a world once wrought,
If I can spread the message as the master taught,
Then my living will not be in vain."

Yes, Jesus, I want to be on your right or your left side, (Yes) not for any selfish reason. I want to be on your right or your left side, not in terms of some political kingdom or ambition. But I just want to be there in love and in justice and in truth and in commitment to others, so that we can make of this old world a new world.

Delivered at Ebenezer Baptist Church, Atlanta, Georgia, on 4 February 1968. MLKEC.
courtesy of: http://www.blackwebportal.com/

Peace and GOD Bless Til next time "I'll meet you on the other side" 

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