Black people should honor white sacrifice

My favorite quote from Martin Luther King is, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

I have a minister friend who talks often about “coming in the opposite spirit.” When you see hatred, show love. When you see darkness, bring

light.

During the Civil War, about 620,000 men died - more than the total of all the other wars in which our nation has been involved. I realize that slavery was not the only cause of the Civil War. But we all know that one of the main results of the Civil War was that legal slavery in America was ended.

I have a challenge for my black brothers and sisters in America today. If you truly want to see racial healing in America, come in the opposite spirit. Act in love rather than hate. I believe that if blacks in America would begin to hold memorial services to honor and thank the hundreds of thousands of white men who gave their lives to secure freedom for black men and women, that the power of God's Holy Spirit would move on our nation and bring greater healing than we can begin to imagine.

I challenge you. Do you truly want racial healing? Then begin to honor those who gave their lives for your freedom.

This story was originally published July 5, 2017 at 5:55 PM with the headline "Black people should honor white sacrifice."