Several years ago, my church, House of Prayer & Praise Ministries, released a CD project entitled, Expectancy. One of the tracks bellows out, “We cannot wait.” As I reflected on those words, it took me back to a book written by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. entitled, “Why We Can’t Wait.”
The book outlines the plight of the Negro since arriving in America. Because of the injustices and inhumanity endured from the shores of Africa to the horrible middle passage, to slavery itself and to Jim-Crow, it meticulously outlined why the Negro could no longer wait to experience the same rights and privileges afforded their Caucasian counterparts. The literary work emphatically illustrates that the Negro was no longer going to wait but was ready to act and embrace all the promises as a citizen of the United States.
We still stand on the threshold of full equality in a nation that continues to want to relegate us to a subpar existence. As I think about the impending Voting Rights Act authored by the late Congressman John Lewis and civil rights leader and how there are those who still do not want us to exercise our full rights as citizens of this country, I unequivocally know that we cannot wait. The same things that were happening when Dr. King authored this book, are still prevalent today. In recent years, it has become even more overt.
We can no longer sit idly by while people who do not have our best interest, make decisions about our destiny. Last year, we frightened them to resort back to their “Jim Crow” antics and enact laws to create obstacles and barriers to prevent us from exercising our right to vote. Just like we voted and made a difference, we must have that same tenacity and crowd-power in every election. It is our crowd-power as African Americans that made a difference. It is our crowd-power as African Americans, who caused them to enact laws directly following that election. It is our crowd-power as African Americans where we will overcome any obstacles or barriers and exercise our rights and privileges. No, we cannot wait and are not waiting any more.
Each of us must be committed and dedicated to ensuring that every African American vote. It is our crowd-power that will make the difference. We have an obligation not to wait because of those who gave their lives for us. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and so many others who paid the ultimate price for us to be free. We must honor Dr. King’s legacy by ensuring that we take advantage of our God-given rights and privileges.
We all reach a threshold where we can no longer wait as well. Many have not exercised their privileges and rights. The ugly face of racism prevented African Americans from experiencing the fullness of citizenship in a country they helped to build through their sweat, blood, and tears.
Oftentimes we find ourselves existing below our privilege because we have not tapped into the reservoir of resources that God has given us. No, it was never God’s intention for us to fret over the uncertainty of this world, but to walk in complete victory as we become all He created us to be. For centuries, African Americans were not allowed to experience the privileges inherent in citizenship because of the label of inferiority placed on them. In many instances, we are not experiencing all our rights and privileges, because of inferior labels inflicted on us by either ourselves or others.
There comes a time when you have to say I can no longer wait for change to take place, because I am going to be an active participant in making change happen. There comes a time when you can no longer idly watch life passing you by without developing and exercising your God-given gifts and talents. There comes a time when you no longer allow outside stimulus to prohibit you from tapping into an infinite reservoir of overflowing opportunities. There comes a time when you no longer live as a second-class citizen, and you begin to expect more because you know you are a first-class citizen. There comes a time when you say enough is enough. I am taking back everything that has been withheld from me.
This is the time for you to move from idleness to expectancy. You see expectancy involves action. Expectancy involves forward deliberate motion. When you expect something more, you no longer are immobilized by fear; and “no” and “I can’t” no longer has a place in the lexicon of your life. Your mindset has elevated to expect “yes” and “I can.”
Even when all around you is a raging storm of uncertainty, you realize that you dwell in the heart of the storm where there is abundant life. You come to realize that outward circumstances have no dominion over your inner peace. It is this inner peace and joy that propels you to steadfastly move with an expectation unimaginable. You move from limitation, to the unlimited potential inherent in you from the day you were born. What begins to happen is that the fragments of famine and negativity no longer can skew your vision, because your vision causes them to become a micro dot on the landscape of your life and they no longer control your destiny. Nothing and no one can prevent you from living out everything God envisioned for you.
Change your mindset! Expect more! Take action! Because you cannot afford to wait anymore!
Are you ready to take action? Are you ready to stop waiting, and be the change that makes things happen?
#MartinLutherKingDay #excellenceinservice #showersblessing
Like this:
Like Loading...
Showers' Blessing Inspires 