Sleep

I had the privilege of speaking to large crowds in a few cities this past weekend, in celebration of the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday: Charlotte, North Carolina and St. Louis, Missouri. I was reminded of a Bible verse that made me ponder, deep thoughts about a necessity in life that can be a considered a blessing and a curse…sleep.

In our text, Solomon, the son of David, according to the Bible and the Quran, who wrote the Book of Proverbs, says, “He that sleeps in harvest is a son that causes shame.” Why is it shameful? Because, it clearly means the shirking of one’s responsibility. Yes, sleep is good, but it would be irresponsible for the football coach to sleep during the fourth quarter of a game. Sleep is good, but it would be irresponsible for the airline pilot to sleep during the takeoff. Sleep is good, but it would be irresponsible for the President to sleep during a meeting in the war room.

On a balmy Wednesday afternoon, August 28, 1963, a young Baptist preacher electrified the nation with one of the most enduring speeches of all time. Dr. Martin Luther King stood behind a makeshift podium and shared his dream for America in front of more than 200,000 demonstrators at the March on Washington. In many ways, after the speech Americans shouted, “Hallelujah!” And then began to nap.

According to Professor Charles Kurzman of the University of North Carolina, since 9/11, there have been 33 Americans killed in terror attacks in our homeland. During that same period Americans have killed more than 150,000 other Americans. In the spirit of Martin Luther King, we must condemn not only those who kill but those who condemn one group’s killing.

Black on black violence and white on white violence is a distinction without a difference. Is it the bullet that kills or is it the color of the hand that pulls the trigger?

We must be awake to speak out against the shameful, ignorant and irresponsible comments uttered about Islam, we must!

It is high time for fair minded men and women to awake out of this dangerous sleep. Too many of those blessed by Dr. King’s work and his dream are now fast asleep, dormant, in sack time, in high volume hibernation, accumulating z’s.

Warmly,