Holding Injustice To the Light (A Martin Luther King, Jr.Reflection on America)

As we celebrate the accomplishments of Martin Luther King Jr. today, we are reminded that his work was not merely about laws or policies, but about exposing the moral and spiritual failures of a nation and calling it to repentance, justice, and love.

Many people see the current administration as “God’s chosen.” I do not. What I see instead is God using this moment in the way a surgeon uses a surgical instrument. The instrument does not control the operation. The surgeon does. Those in power may believe they are in control, but ultimately it is God who is sovereign.

I believe God is using the current administration as an instrument to expose the true condition of America, a nation that has long struggled with racism, injustice, and a lack of mercy. This is not an argument that those in this current leadership are people of God. Their actions do not honor God, submit to Scripture, or seek to reflect or glorify the God of the Bible. Yet Scripture is clear that God, as the Potter, may use whatever instrument He chooses to accomplish His purposes. That God sometimes allows broken systems to expose deeper problems and call people back to Him.

Throughout biblical history, God has often allowed harsh rulers, suffering, and injustice to bring hidden sin into the light. It is only when people endure oppression, confront their wrongdoing, and confess that they have sinned against God Himself that repentance follows. When repentance comes, God turns darkness into light and mourning into joy. The truth is God’s heart is never with tyranny, even when He allows it temporarily.

What we are experiencing in America today is not merely a struggle against flesh and blood. It is a spiritual battle. While marches, protests, and holding signs will not, by themselves, bring spiritual renewal, they do serve a purpose. They are the way everyday people say, “We see the injustice.” They are a visible witness to those in power that cruelty, abuse, and oppression are not going unnoticed. In that sense, even agencies like ICE, whether they realize it or not, are helping to expose the truth. Their actions are being seen by the world, revealing that basic lives, freedoms, and human dignity are being threatened.

It was not so long ago that Black Americans lived with the fear of opening their doors, terrified that someone in a white hood might be standing on the other side. Now, in 2026, fear has taken on a haunting new form. It is no longer only Black and Brown people who live with that anxiety. Some of our white neighbors now hesitate to open their doors as well, afraid of masked men waiting outside. What many once dismissed as “not my problem” has become impossible to ignore. As Martin Luther King Jr. warned, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

Still, this battle will not ultimately be won through demonstrations alone. It will only be won when people of every nationality in this country humble themselves before God and repent for the role each of us has played in our nation’s brokenness. The patient may not want the scalpel, but healing cannot happen unless the surgeon is trusted. God is cutting into what is diseased and holding it up to the light so that all can see what has been festering beneath the surface for generations.

Racism, injustice, and the absence of mercy were never fully eradicated. Many believed civil rights laws solved the problem, but these evils merely went dormant, taking root deep within the nation. Now they have resurfaced, and once again we find ourselves fighting for basic human rights.

I once struggled to understand why God commanded the Israelites to utterly destroy their enemies. But Scripture teaches a hard truth: what is not fully dealt with will regroup, grow stronger, and return. King David understood this when he faced Goliath. It was not enough to wound the giant. David had to defeat him completely and remove his head as a sign of total victory. Had he not done so, Goliath would have risen again and devastated Israel.

In the same way, the evils exposed in our nation cannot merely be wounded or ignored. They must be confronted, cut out, and surrendered fully to God. Only then can true healing begin.