Martin Luther King is well known for his work in the civil rights movement. He organized and led boycotts, protests, sit-ins to fight against racial segregation. He also gave the “I have a dream” speech that inspired millions of people across the globe.
In this blog post, we look at some life lessons from Martin Luther King and how we can implement them in our own lives too.
1. Today, I choose life.
This is a quote from his famous speech given in the city of Washington. He talked about the “tragedy that confronts me” and how he can respond to it – either with anger or love. According to him, the choice between these two is a choice that each individual has.
In other words, he is saying that we have the power to choose which emotions we want to live by. We can either be consumed by rage and hatred or find ways of rising above it and practising love and forgiveness.
2. Don’t let anyone pull you so low as to hate them.
This is another key message from Martin Luther King about the “I have a dream” speech. So often, we might be presented with opportunities to strike back at others who may have done us wrong. However, this is not how Dr King believed we should live our lives. By exercising hatred, we are sinking to the level of our oppressors – something he strongly felt that everyone had a right not to do!
3. We must accept finite disappointment but never lose infinite hope.
Again, this is another key message from Martin Luther King’s famous speech. He talked about how sometimes there may be disappointments on our life journey. However, it’s important to never lose hope in ourselves or others fighting for the cause.
4. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
In yet another key message from Martin Luther King’s famous speech, he talked about the interconnectedness of humanity. He believed that there could never be peace if, for example, black people were not treated equally compared to their white counterparts around the world.
5. Hate begets hate; violence begets violence.
This is a very strong message from Dr King’s famous speech. He talks about how hate and violence only breed more hate and violence in response. In this way, it is a vicious cycle that never ends unless we find ways to break out of it.
How can we apply Martin Luther King’s life lessons?
Martin Luther King’s life lessons can be applied in a few different ways. Firstly, they can give us a much-needed reminder that we always choose the emotions that we want to live by. We don’t necessarily have to let anger and hatred take control of our lives!
Secondly, what Martin Luther King said reminds us how we can make a difference. We may at times feel powerless and like we don’t have the opportunity to fight against injustice. However, if we allow ourselves to be consumed by our passions and work together with others who share similar values, we can make a difference!
Finally, Martin Luther King’s life lessons shine a light on how interconnected we all are. Suppose we work to look after ourselves, not being considerate of others. Then, we have the opportunity to use the power of our actions to help those who are worse off than us!