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Rev. Leslie Houseworth-Fields

– Martin Luther King, Jr.

When I was younger, my mother would sometimes say to me “Teamwork makes the dream work.” It was usually said to chastise me for selfish or thoughtless behavior. It was a reminder that I can’t succeed alone but must work together with my family in order for all of us to thrive. I always liked the way that phrase sounded, even if I didn’t like the context in which it was being said. Those words have stayed with me to this day. I find myself repeating them with my own family as a reminder that we’re all in this together.

Martin Luther King, Jr. didn’t use the exact mantra that my mom used (as far as I know). However, his words remind us that in order to succeed, we must stick together. It’s tempting to remain separated by our differences, but King insists that we are part of one great family. A family comprised of people from every nation, tribe, religious group, ethnicity, class, region, or gender identity. No one person or group can make it alone. We’re foolish to think that we can. If we are to thrive, it will only be together. If we are to thrive, we must transcend our differences and learn to live together as brothers and sisters. That’s what Jesus, our brother, modeled for us. He showed us how to put our differences aside and live with one another in love and peace. So this Christmas, remember that teamwork makes the dream work. Team work moves us closer to right relationships with each other. It moves us closer to Martin King’s dream of the beloved community. It moves us closer to being and becoming the Kingdom of God.

Prayer: Help me to see myself in someone wholly unlike me, and help me to strive for their well-being as I would strive for my own. Amen.