If you had told me 10 years ago that my life would look the way it does today, I would've recommended we find you the nearest mental hospital. Had you told me even 5 years ago, I probably would've looked at you strangely. It's interesting how the picture we get of our lives in our teens and early 20s isn't always the picture God has planned for us. Please don't mishear me; I believe very firmly in the plan God has for my family & that we have taken the steps that follow his will. I just didn't necessarily picture my life the way it is today. And I couldn't be more thankful for that first step of faith.
For lack of a better description, I went to school for 13 years in a very white school. I worked there through college & taught there for the first 5 years of my career. When my wife & I decided to move to a new locale, the first school I taught in was pretty much the antithesis of that. I could not be more grateful for that school & the people I encountered there. Something I have come to realize is that my 2 years there educated my heart. The Lord opened my eyes to pictures of love beyond what I had experienced.
I learned how to open myself up, to see with my heart, & to be thankful for students who wanted to learn. My time there, sadly, opened my eyes to extreme injustices in society and the "haves" versus the "have-nots," and this epidemic started even at the central office level. This is something that occurs in every single school system, in every single city, in every single state in this great country of ours. Sadly, there is a great divide of possessions and status that is at times centered on the color of one's skin.
Please focus on the at times part of that; this is in no way a definitive statement. It's just the reality of our world. Despite the grand dreams that Dr. King had that we would one day live in a world where his children would not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character, I don't think we are in that place as a nation. Do I think we have made strides? Most certainly. But we have a long way to go.
I have a dream as well. I have a dream that my little boy will grow up in a country where people see his smile and his love for Jesus before they see anything else. I have a dream that he will do great things for the kingdom of heaven in his lifetime without others noticing he doesn't look like them. I have a dream that he will be known for his impact on future generations, not the story of his journey to our family. I have a dream that he will speak up for injustices that he sees instead of becoming a silent observer.
On this day in which we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King and his impact on society, I am thankful that there was a man who worked tirelessly to shed light on the way individuals are mistreated based on their exterior. I pray that the way my family has been formed will change the hearts of others and bring glory to our Father. And I pray that we continue to make progress toward truly accepting our brothers and sisters for who they are, regardless of the differences we have.
