A Tale of Two Kings

A TALE OF TWO KINGS:

This was the title of a @theharvardcrimson op-ed my @harvard classmate and elder statesmen brother, Brandon Michael Terry, wrote about the man, born Michael King on Jan 15, 1929, who we've known as Martin Luther King. I read it in April of 2005 and until that point, I knew "what I was supposed to know" about the commercial version of King. Brandon didn't know that op-ed lit a real fire in me to learn the truth, so I did and it floored me. We'd love to think we would embrace King today, especially those of us who would say we are for freedom, liberation and love. He was demonized by his own people in his latter year(s), cast out like a leper because he started speaking a truth, a vision that was a bit too uncomfortable for the (black) church, "liberal activists" and "more" self-appointed intellectuals and activists of the time. Let alone, carrying the title of "Uncle Tom," "coward" and "coon" for agreeing to meet with and negotiate with racist white leaders. We would like to believe we would embrace him now.

Would you?

He was spoke an uncomfortable truth, he was an known adulterer, and spoke with racists. He was a man broken by his own sin, his own country and worse, his own people - those he gave his life to serve. He was the type of person God uses, the broken. He was despondent and depressed in his final days. He was one of those faithful echo'ed in Hebrews 11:13, who were still living by faith when they died and did not receive things promised in their lifetimes. It's fitting it's Sunday today. The truth is it's really A Tale of 3 Kings. Deep down inside, we all want a king, that sacrifices His life for His people and is completely blameless. We try to find and anoint people everyday to be that but the truth is, to attempt to do that they have to deny their humanity or the truth because inevitably all men and women will disappoint you and real truth will cut you. Men and women on earth were never created to carry the weight of our God shaped desires. Salute to Brandon Terry for the fire, Rashad @rashaddrakeford for the reminder and trigger and Dr. King for his life. #happybirthday #mlk