Put your words to work

'Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.'

Martin Luther King

During a week when many have been remembering the life and achievements of Martin Luther King, it is a great opportunity to inspire young minds about the power of persuasion.

Children, in particular, respond passionately to issues of fairness and justice. You only have to tell them the story of Martin Luther King and they respond with an outraged, 'That's not fair!' However, what inspires me most is when children themselves become inspired by King's 'I have a dream' speech and write their own 'I have a dream' statements. It reminds us big people of the real potential and possibility for change.

However, as Sam Biddle reminds us in his Gizmodo blog, entitled, 'Twitter doesn't make you Martin Luther King', celebrating King is a 'good time to remember that change takes actual doing.' He finishes with the pithy statement: 'Fauxtivism is worse than nothing — it trivializes the issue, mistakes gesture for action—and makes you feel good when you haven't accomplished a thing.'

In an age when social networking has completely changed the way we communicate, network, write and even think, it is all too easy to post well-worn platitudes on a blog, wall or timeline: they may sound good and they may make us feel good sharing them: we might even believe that, by 'sharing' inspiring words, we are doing our bit to change the world. I have to admit that my own Twitter bio actually includes the phrase 'changing the world one thought at a time'.

The fact is that, as Sam Biddle correctly points out, change doesn't happen just because someone spouts a few words, nor does it happen because those words go viral. Change happens because someone put those words to work. Martin Luther King worked tirelessly to promote his ideals - persistently advocating non-violent protest against segregation and racial discrimination. His strategies involved non-violent campaigns and marches, which were strongly influenced by his admiration of Mohandas Gandhi's satyagraha principles.

Joel Barker once said, 'Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world.'

Similarly, a biblical writer penned the words: 'Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.' (James 2v17)

King had vision and faith in abundance, yes, but he also put it to work. His faith fed his dissatisfaction, which spurred his vision, which prompted his actions. King was focused and on fire. No one can claim to be an armchair protestor - you need to get up and get out.

So, are you walking in King's footsteps and, if so what are you doing to promote and continue world-changing behaviour?

Personally, I need to challenge myself daily by asking myself: 'Is what I devote myself to serving me or serving the world?' Am I doing what I want to do or am I doing what the world needs me to do?

Thanks for dropping by - feel free to comment and to contribute your own thoughts on this.

And, please - do hold me accountable and come back to ask how I'm doing: we all need a gentle reminder to jog our social conscience.

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."

Martin Luther King (Washington, 1963)