The MLK holiday is the perfect time to reflect on the spiritual practices that kept one of the most famous civil rights activists connected to God. I encountered this list of practices in seminary when we studied William O. Paulsell’s classic book Rules for Prayer.
People of prayer frequently have intentional practices and attitudes that they cultivate. Based on St. Benedict’s famous “Rule” for his order, we call these “Rules for Prayer.” Rule doesn’t mean mandatory or obligatory. It’s an intention for finding space for God.
King may not have called these practices a rule, but they are practices gleaned from his writing. And they are useful to consider if you are thinking of creating your own personal Rule of Prayer. According to Paulsell, King used and encouraged others to use these practices.
- Meditate daily on the life and teachings of Jesus
- Live in the manner of love
- Pray daily to be used by God
- Sacrifice personal wishes
- Perform regular service for others
- Stay in good bodily and spiritual health
- Pray for the oppressor
May you celebrate King’s life and legacy by taking time to meditate on this Rule.
For more about spiritual direction as I practice it, please check out my website. Or email me at teresa@teresablythe.net.
The photo of MLK is (c) 1964 by Library of Congress posted on Flickr by Mike Licht and made available under an Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.0 license.
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