Seeds of Joy - A Prophet's Reward

Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous person because they are a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. Matthew 10:41 Have you prayed before a crucifix lately? There we’re reminded of Jesus’ promise that those who lose their life for His sake will find it. It’s a promise of ultimate victory, but also a warning that if we are to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, we must be prepared for the spiritual battle that will surely come our way. A prophet’s reward comes not in this lifetime. The film Selma documents the efforts one prophet for our time. In 1965 of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his colleagues at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference challenged Southern laws that blocked African Americans from voting. After images of non-violent black protesters being mercilessly beaten by police appeared on national television, 25,000 people of every race and faith tradition from around the nation joined Dr. King in a 50-mile march from Selma to Montgomery. Picking up the cross and walking in the footsteps of Jesus, this non-violent protest moved the conscience of the nation. Congress passed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 which President Lyndon Johnson signed into law, guaranteeing the right of every adult American to vote. Tragically, only three years later, at the age of 39, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. The fullness of this prophet’s dream is still in the making. Our nation continues to struggle toward full racial equality. Today let us join together in remembering one of his many prayers for our country and our world: O God, we thank you for the fact that you have inspired men and women in all nations and in all cultures. We call you different names: some call you Allah; some call you Elohim; some call you Jehovah; some call you Brahma; some call you the Unmoved Mover. But we know that these are all names for one and the same God. Grant that we will follow you and become so committed to your way and your kingdom that we will be able to establish in our lives and in this world a brother and sisterhood, that we will be able to establish here a kingdom of understanding, where men and women will live together as brothers and sisters and respect the dignity and worth of every human being. In the name and spirit of Jesus. Amen. Watering the Seeds: Have you or your loved ones been unfairly treated because of who you are? What action did you take because of this discrimination against you or others?