One of the great privileges of my life is having Rev. Dr. Albert Paul Brinson as one of my mentors. Al was co-pastor with Martin Luther King, Jr at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, and grew up hanging around the King household. Al has told me many stories of "ML" over the years, but one stands out that has had particular significance for my life.
One day while I was in seminary, I confessed to Al that I was struggling with the idea of going into pastoral ministry. I had been feeling that I was nowhere near holy enough, or righteous enough, or good enough to be a pastor. In response, Al told me a story. He and ML had been sitting on the porch of the King house, and Al had been sharing his own struggles that had, several decades earlier, mirrored my own. He told ML that he didn't feel like he was good enough to be a pastor, and in response, ML said, "None of is good enough. None of us is ever ready. None of us is worthy to serve our Lord. But God calls us, in many ways, because of our brokenness and unworthiness, not in spite of it. The only difference between those God uses mightily and those He does not, is our willingness to say yes to Him."
These words have had a profound effect on me. I hear Al's voice when I think of these words. But every time we celebrate the life and memory of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I think of those words of encouragement, stretching through the years to reach a life far removed from his. I am, of course, grateful for his influence on this world and the social changes he worked to bring about. But if it's possible, I am even more grateful for the way that "ML" influenced my life and ministry in a much more personal way.
"Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing." -1 Thessalonians 5:11
