#MLKDay2026

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once declared, “I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.” He spoke these words on August 16, 1967, during his message titled “Where Do We Go From Here?” at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) Convention in Atlanta, Georgia. These were not casual words. They were spoken at a time when the Civil Rights Movement was under intense pressure, when threats were constant, when hatred was loud, and when the cost of choosing love was high. Yet, Dr. King stood firm. He understood that hate drains the soul, weakens the spirit, and destroys the one who carries it. Love, however, God’s love, strengthens, heals, restores, and transforms.

Scripture echoes this truth with clarity: “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21) and “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” (1 John 4:8)

Love is not passive. Love is not silent. Love is not weak. Love is the force that breaks the back of injustice. Love is the courage to stand for what is right without surrendering to bitterness. Love is the power that refuses to let hatred dictate the future. When Dr. King chose love, he was choosing the way of Christ.

When I was a young adult, I lived through the Jim Crow era. I witnessed and felt the sting of segregation, the weight of discrimination, and the daily struggle for dignity. But even in those days, I made a choice. I did my part to be an active member of the Movement for the Advancement of Colored People, believing with all my heart that each step, each march, each meeting, and each action would help us reach equality. We were determined people. We believed that justice was possible. We believed that change was necessary. And we believed that love, not hate, would carry us forward.

Looking back, I see clearly that God’s hand was guiding us. Every victory, every breakthrough, every door that opened was a testimony of His faithfulness. And just as He carried us then, He is carrying us now.

In this climate, my personal opinion is that we live in a time where division is loud, anger is common, and hatred is often celebrated. Social tensions, racial wounds, political conflict, and spiritual battles surround us. But Dr. King’s message still speaks with prophetic clarity:

Love is the only force strong enough to heal our land.

Jesus taught the same truth long before Dr. King spoke it: “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:35). Love is our identity. Love is our assignment. Love is our testimony.

We cannot afford to carry the burden of hate. It is too heavy. It is too costly. It steals joy, peace, and purpose. But love, God’s love, lifts burdens, breaks yokes, and brings freedom.

As we honor the life and legacy of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., let us also honor the God he served. Let us remember that his strength came from prayer, his courage came from Scripture, and his conviction came from the Holy Spirit. Let us recommit ourselves to walking in the love of God in everything we do. This day is more than wearing a t-shirt or walking in a parade, it is dedicating your total existance to living out the freedom of God, so that others can see the freedom of peace, love and... even more love.

Let us love boldly. Let us love consistently. Let us love across differences. Let us love even when it is difficult. Let us love because Christ first loved us.

When we choose love, we shine the light of God into a dark world. When we choose love, we declare that hatred will not have the final word. When we choose love, all mankind will know that we do not hate, but that we love unconditionally, just as Christ commanded.

Bishop Charlene M. Jamison

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www.HOGCKD.org