From marking his date of birth in January to the date of his assassination in April, you may hear quite a bit about Martin Luther King this time of year. As a country, we commemorate the Civil Rights Movement for the progress it made toward equality for black people in America, but this march was also painful and dangerous along the way. Though crowds gathered to hear King speak, there were many Americans who did not support him. He was physically harmed, arrested, and eventually assassinated. Even today, many black Americans advocating for a more complete version of King’s dreams, find it is a mixed bag of progress and pain. This video recalls his successes and struggles: 

Play the following video for your students [1:44]:
Lester Holt on the Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. | NBC Nightly News

• Why do you think there was a violent response to King’s message? Does all progress for good risk some type of pain or persecution? (Accept all reasonable answers. Racism and segregation were so embedded into society that change brought about anger and fear. Changing the status quo often makes waves, especially when power is threatened.)

• Would you be willing to speak out about injustice or anything else in the face of harm? (Answers will vary. It is natural and can be very important to value our safety. Some will already know what they are most passionate about—things on which they are willing to speak out no matter what the Others may want to weigh the good and bad or try to brainstorm ways to speak out while preserving their safety.)

• What are some modern day examples of people facing harm because of their beliefs? (Accept all reasonable answers. Students will know of instances where people have been laughed at, discriminated against, or physically harmed for any number of viewpoints—those they agree or disagree with—from social to religious, at home and abroad.)

Oftentimes, people who push for change or lead a movement face persecution. Jesus was the same way. While crowds of people followed Jesus to hear His teachings, others did not support Him. They chased Him out of His hometown, they tried to trap Him with clever questions to get Him in trouble, and eventually they plotted His arrest and execution. When we follow Jesus, our words and actions may be misunderstood or outright unappreciated. We may or may not face physical violence like Jesus did, but the road won’t always be easy; in fact, Jesus promised it wouldn’t be.