“Was not Jesus an extremist for love: “love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” pg 269 p.31
Martin Luther King’s words in his Letter from Birmingham were touching to me. He uses Jesus as an example in his letter to relate to the reader that nothing is fair in this world, and not everyone will like you, but you will just have to deal with it and do the best you can. Jesus wanted us to love everyone regardless how they were or where they came from. I interpreted King’s words as him asking the people who want segregation and dislike Negroes why they are treating their fellow brothers and sisters so badly? He is basically saying that most of them claim that they are Christians but is asking those people to look at how they are treating their supposed “brothers and sisters” in Christ like dirt. Asking them if they belive what they are doing is right. He is telling them that they are being hypocrites and not following the teachings of Christ.
Everyone is human though. Sometimes it is very hard to do what Jesus asks us to do. On some occasions I find myself thinking about people in not the greatest way, I admit its not easy to get along with people you don’t like. What Jesus and King are saying is to get over ourselves, put our feelings aside, and embrace our differences instead of letting our differences get in the way.
