How to Live Like a King.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. inspired millions with his bravery and compassion. He lived his life with dignity and purpose. His example teaches us how to live like a King.

Here are 10 ways you can tell if you’re living righteously. Enjoy Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s quotes while learning from the man himself.

Have Faith

Do you have faith? Not the once-in-a-while kind of faith, when you’re feeling confident and everything is going your way. You need blind faith that sticks with you when times are tough. Dr. King tells us that faith means always moving forward. You must believe in God’s goodness even when you don’t understand why or how. Be strong in your faith.

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” ~Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Serve Others

No excuses. Get out of your comfort zone and serve others. If you’re not taking action in service to others, than you are not living a righteous life. Just as a noble King looks out for the welfare of his subjects, you must do what it takes to help out your fellow man.

“Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” ~Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Quality over Quantity

Know your limitations. Not everyone can solve the tough problems. Find the one thing you know you can do well, and do it even better. Dr. King started a peaceful movement to end racial inequality that rocked the world. What does your world-changing movement look like? Maybe it starts with changing just one person’s world with kindness. Whatever it is you choose to do, make it count.

“If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.” ~Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Love Your Neighbour

God’s kingdom is filled with multi-colored humanity. We are all made in the image of God. Every human being has the spark of the Divine inside. Our bodies may look different. Our minds don’t all think the same. Yet, we must love all our neighbors living in this kingdom on Earth.

“We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.” ~Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Cultivate Wisdom

A King is wise. But wisdom isn’t something that falls from a tree. You must pursue it. Read. Ask good questions. Listen. Learning is a lifelong pursuit, never stop.

“Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” ~Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

It’s Not Only About You

Get over yourself. The pity party ends here. To have compassion for others, means setting aside your personal concerns and taking on theirs. You know that purpose in life you’re searching for? It’s over there, hovering closely around people who need you to care.

“An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.” ~Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Be Bold. Be Brave.

A great leader has two qualities that stand out among the rest. A great leader goes boldly forward when others are still weighing the risks. A great leader is brave. She doesn’t let fear prevent her from doing what is needed, and what is right. Dr. King led by example. He stood bravely and acted boldly for justice.

“There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right.” ~Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Never Be Satisfied

Sitting pretty? Good for you. Now get up, and shake off your feeling of contentment long enough to see what others don’t have. Get happy again, but this time with the notion that you can still be well-off and do something to make others feel the same. Satisfaction is best when fleeting. We live in a broken world. Fix it.

“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” ~Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Get Smart

The buzz word in business today is “be strategic.” Let that be your plan. Follow Dr. King’s advice to bring light to dark situations and love to hateful ones. Leadership requires smarts. So does righteous living. Think, plan, and act like a King.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” ~Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Believe Beyond Reason

Your faith is the foundation of your belief system. Or maybe it’s the other way around. Faith and belief are so fully intertwined, it’s hard to know where one starts and the other leaves off. And love trumps all.  Love for the truth. Love for God. Love for righteous living. Live like a King.

“I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.” ~Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

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