MLK: The Drum Major Instinct | The Three Dimensions of a Complete Life| I've Been to the Mountaintop

[Sapphire Blue]

The Drum Major Instinct
Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.

(excerpt)

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. 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, because everybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. 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. You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love. And you can be that servant.

(snip)

Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter. 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. And that's all I want to say.

http://www.mlkcelebration.com/speech_drummajorinstinct.php

The Three Dimensions of a Complete Life
Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.

(excerpt)

Somewhere along the way, we must learn that there is nothing greater than to do something for others. And this is the
way I’ve decided to go the rest of my days. That’s what I’m concerned about. John, if you and Bernard happen to be
around when I come to the latter-days and that moment to cross the Jordan, I want you to tell them that I made a
request: I don’t want a long funeral. In fact, I don’t even need a eulogy more than one or two minutes. I hope that I will
live so well the rest of the days—I don’t know how long I’ll live, and I’m not concerned about that—but I hope I can live so
well that the preacher can get up and say, "He was faithful." That’s all, that’s enough. That’s the sermon I’d like to hear:
"Well done my good and faithful servant. You’ve been faithful; you’ve been concerned about others." That’s where I
want to go from this point on the rest of my days. "He who is greatest among you shall be your servant." I want to be a
servant. I want to be a witness for my Lord, to do something for others.

http://www.paxchristimi.org/3D_Life.html

I've Been to the Mountaintop
Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.

(excerpt)

Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.

http://www.mlkcelebration.com/speech_mountaintop.php

[Bluzmann57]

1. Thank you for those wonderful links

Even now, after all these years, this man's speeches can bring tears to my eyes. Of course, I was fairly young at the time these speeches were made, and so I didn't fully understand the significance of them. But my parents worked hard to fight bigotry and as a result, we heard a lot of Dr. King in our suburban white bread house. We also got some grief from the rednecks because of it, but it helped in part to forge a philosophy which I follow; "That which does not kill me only serves to make me stronger". Thank you Reverend Dr. King for your strength in the face of ignorance. Thank you for helping to bring the discussions of racial equality to the forefront.

[alcibiades_mystery]

2. If you don't tear up when you hear this...

Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.

...given the night before his assassination, there's something wrong with you. Hell, I'm a white-boy atheist, and I feel like testifyin' when I hear that.

You gotta hear it ta feel it, you feel me?

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkivebeentothemountaintop.htm

[Sapphire Blue]

3. I feel it; his words are carved into my soul.

[goclark]

5. Carved in my soul : " How long, Not Long" K and R

and bookmarked.

Thank you Sapphire Blue for being the Heart and Soul of DU.

[Sapphire Blue]

6. " Because the arm of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice." - MLK

[goclark]

8. Carved For Me: "I Have A Dream..."

They say that Mahalia Jackson told him when he was starting the famous speech in Washington,

"Martin, tell um about your Dream!"

She had heard him speak before about "His Dream" at other rallies so when she said that, he changed his remarks and started with "His Dream."

That was on Solodad O'Brian's CNN segments on MLK.

If we could just live his dream what a wonderful country and World this would be.

[Sapphire Blue]

4. For anyone who may be interested - Books & Audiovisual Resources are available for purchase @

The King Center: http://www.thekingcenter.org/ecomm/shop-online-dept.asp?DeptID=9

[libnnc]

7. Add to that his speech on Vietnam

That one doesn't get quoted enough. Mandatory listening.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b80Bsw0UG-U

[Jcrowley]

9. Great Post

He's speaking to us this very moment.

[Sapphire Blue]

10. ..

Yes. He is.

[IndyOp]

11. K&R for some beautiful words. (n/t)

[EFerrari]

12. Rec'd earlier but here's a kick up.

Btw, they're running King programming on the History Channel today. :hi:

[Sapphire Blue]

17. and another

:kick: :hi:

[Sydnie]

13. Kick and Rec'd

:hug: to you!

[Sapphire Blue]

14. ..

:hug:

[bliss_eternal]

15. Rec'd earlier...

Kicking now!

:kick:

:hi:

[Sapphire Blue]

16. ...

:hi:

[Sapphire Blue]

18. ..

:kick:

[Wilms]

19. .

[calimary]

20. He was Something, wasn't he? Truly GREAT words to live by.

JEEZ, reading those words again - MAN, what a difference, when you compare them to what we've got "leading" us now. Good Lord. :eyes: Just makes Dr. King look and stand even taller.

[Sapphire Blue]

21. "He was faithful."