Do you know what the following persons have in common:

Rev. Dr. Joseph Lowery, Rev. James Lawson, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Julian Bond, John Lewis, James Farmer, Joan Baez, and of course, C. T. Vivian? You are right if you said they all knew and were known by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. They were all giants during the civil rights era in the United States of America and all of them outlived the leader who was assassinated in 1968 at age 39.

At today’s viewing of Rev. James Lawson (age 95), there was every bit of a well-organized funeral service. I felt like I was getting a history lesson, a chapter that had been deleted from my textbooks. Evidence that the spirit of the man lives on was present as his mentees spoke of his practical theology and empowerment focus that helped them love their enemies and resist violent attacks. Obedience to their instructor in nonviolent resistance, often led to their arrest. His nonviolent resistance tactics reminded me of Jesus Christ praying while suffering on the cross, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34 KJV).