by Rev. Lynne Hinton
Near the celebration of his birthday, I always like to post the rules for non-violence used by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for those working in the Civil Rights movement.
They include:
- Meditate daily on the teachings and life of Jesus.
- Remember always that the nonviolent movement in Birmingham or anywhere, seeks justice and reconciliation, not victory.
- Walk and talk in the manner of love for God is love.
- Pray daily to be used by God in order that all might be free.
- Observe with both friend and foe the ordinary rules of courtesy.
- Seek to perform regular service for others and the world.
- Refrain from violence of fist, tongue, or heart.
- Strive to be in good spiritual and bodily health.
This year, I would like to also add a prescription for nonviolent communication as written by Dr. Marshall Rosenberg in his development of the nonviolent communications model. According to his work, there are four steps in this means of communication.
1. Observation: Notice what is happening around and within you causing you to make a judgment or evaluation.
2. Feeling: Express your emotions without a story or believed thought.
3. Needs: Identify what is most important to you.
4. Requests: Say what you want to meet your needs, remembering that a request is not a demand. Also name what you want and refrain from naming what you don’t want.
As we remember Dr. King this week, as we honor his work and his life, let us do more than just enjoy a holiday, let us remember and live into the model of Christian living that he set before us.
