On my way to pick up the girls from school, I listened to the entire "I Have a Dream" speech by Martin Luther King on NPR. By the time I made it to the school, I was a weeping mess. The words were cutting, true, and in so many ways, he speaks of realities and dreams that are unmet.
When it came to the part where he talks about the dreams for his four little children to be judged by the content of their character and not the color of their skin, I just hurt, grieved, and longed for that dream for my children.
But as I mopped today, I realized, I don't live that way. I was mopping, thinking, I'm a good wife when I mop. Cleaning a toilette, and thinking somehow I have done well. But what of my character? Do I judge myself by the content of my character or do I look at arbitrary outward acts to find meaning?
How to I speak such a truth into the life of a small child? How do I develop character of behaviour? How do I champion integrity over performance? How do I encourage real depth of character over being seen as having character? Authentic living, it's hard. It's harder than having clean floors. For me it is anyway.
No comments:
Post a Comment