Like so many great leaders, Martin Luther King, Jr. was ahead of his time. So many of the concepts he fought for are now increasingly accepted as common but they were radical for his day. With time, his impact has not only changed our country but it has challenged our world. Without King not only would our society possibly still support segregation but South Africa would never have been encouraged to end apartheid and Indian outcasts would not feel the encouragement to break free from the scourge of the inhumane caste system. King stood boldly on God’s truth: “In Christ there is now neither Jew nor Gentile, male or female, slave or free.” It took Martin Luther King, Jr. to apply God’s truth to a prejudiced America and for that we are grateful.

I will never forget my private pilgrimage to the poor part of Atlanta to see where Martin Luther King, Jr. was born and laid to rest. I can still see in my mind the “eternal flame” that burns for King’s “beloved community.” The biblical concept of a “beloved community” kept King striving for justice (an Old Testament concept) while showing grace (a New Testament concept) to those who resisted. King challenged the disconnect that existed in America between faith and practice suggesting that our faith must inform everything we do: our business practices, our politics and our behavior. Our faith teaches us to love our neighbors as ourselves. We must never let our faith be separated from our daily lives again.

King always spoke and lived with the “beloved community” in his mind. Heaven will be made up of people from every nation, race and language that love each other deeply. Heaven will be the “beloved community.”

As we celebrate Martin Luther King’s birthday, let us continue to carry the torch for the “beloved community.” Let us continue to strive for justice and equality for all people. Let us pursue justice for the Dalits in India, for those trapped in human trafficking (modern-day slavery), for the handicapped, the elderly, the unborn and for those in our society who are not treated with human dignity. Let us always give grace to those who don’t understand justice as we do. Let us take encouragement by standing in the long shadow of this great man.