The Loving Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Today, our nation honors Martin Luther King, Jr.  in an annual holiday dedicated to the life and legacy of a man who was a tireless advocate for inclusion, love and acceptance of all.

Today we honor the loving legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Photo: mlkday.gov)

The core value of Dr. King’s ideal, the “Beloved Community,” was agape love, which he described as “understanding, redeeming goodwill for all.” It is an “overflowing love which is purely spontaneous, unmotivated, groundless and creative”… “the love of God operating in the human heart.”

Dr. King said that “agape does not begin by discriminating between worthy and unworthy people… It begins by loving others for their sakes” and “makes no distinction between a friend and enemy; it is directed toward both… Agape is love seeking to preserve and create community.”

This is highly compatible with what Opportunity International is doing–we are helping communities thrive, not through condescension or handouts but through compassion and by empowering the community to put its own resources to work for a better future.
We commemorate the timeless values he taught us through his example–the values of courage, truth, justice, compassion, dignity, humility and service that so radiantly defined Dr. King’s character and empowered his leadership. -Coretta Scott King

Thank you to every partner in the Opportunity family. Your deep agape love for those living in difficult financial circumstances is helping to build thriving communities.