MLK Day – A Reminder of the Prophetic Voice

In his book “Soul Survivor,” Philip Yancey discusses how thirteen mentors impacted his faith life. The book is profound and moving—a worthwhile read.

Yancey begins with Martin Luther King, Jr., highlighting his “prophetic” role that called churches and the nation to awaken from the sinful slumber of racism.

Of course, the prophetic role is rooted in the actual prophets of God in the Old Testament. Yancey’s comments on these prophets remind me of the prophetic legacy we are all called to live. Our voice, as believers, is to be a prophetic voice in a slumbering sinful world. Yancey says:

“The word ‘prophet’ comes to mind because King, like those Old Testament figures, endeavored to change an entire nation through a straightforward moral appeal. The passion and intensity of the biblical prophets has long fascinated me, for most of them faced an audience every bit as stubborn, prejudiced, and cantankerous as I was during my teenage years. With what moral lever can one move a whole nation? Studying the prophets, I note that virtually all of them followed a two-prong approach.”

“First, they gave a short-range view of what God requires now. In the Old Testament, this usually consisted of an exhortation to simple acts of faithfulness. Rebuild the Temple. Purify your marriages. Help the poor. Destroy idols and put God first. The prophets never stopped there, however. They also gave a long-range view to respond to the people’s deepest questions. How can we believe that God loves us in the face of so much suffering? How can we believe in a just God when the world seems ruled by a conspiracy of evil? Prophets answered such questions by reminding the audience of who God is, and by painting a glowing picture of a future kingdom of righteousness” (pp.23-24).

But the clincher of the prophetic power, as King pointed out, was in the cross. In virtually every speech King repeated, “Christianity has always insisted that the cross we bear precedes the crown we wear. To be a Christian one must take up his cross, with all its difficulties and agonizing and tension-packed content, and carry it until that very cross leaves its mark upon us and redeems us to that more excellent way which comes only through suffering” (p.25).

Yancey sums up the prophetic voice: “A prophet calls us to daily acts of obedience, regardless of personal cost, regardless of whether we feel successful or rewarded. And a prophet also reminds us that no failure, no suffering, no discouragement, is final for the God who stands within the shadows, keeping watch above his own. A prophet who can convey both those messages with power may just change the world” (p.30).

During a time of economic downturn, political transition, war and violence; at a time when there are rampant attacks on everything Godly, we can grumble and withdraw, or we can voice, and actively live, the heart-changing Word of God.

You can check out or you can speak up. You can retreat into your own world or you can charge ahead with creative, constructive, and compelling service for the people of God.

On this Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, let us remember that we are called to be prophetic voices.