Just

God's goals for us as the body of Christ have been stated in a passage in Ephesians 4, in which the apostle Paul discusses spiritual leadership, and says:
(14) ...we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ--
16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

The world has its own ideas about how we should relate to one another, but the Bible teaches how we can respond to each other in love - the love of Christ.  The world wants to tell us that someone has to lose in order to for another to be successful; the Scriptures tell us that if we lose our own lives, we can be exalted in Him. We should not be devoted to what we can take from someone else, but instead we should be motivated to give to another.

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The body of Christ is constructed in a certain way so that we follow God's intent in using His unique abilities and characteristics in order to accomplish His purposes. 1st Corinthians 12 paints a valuable picture:
13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
14 For in fact the body is not one member but many.
15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body?
16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body?
17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling?
18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.

The Reverend, as it was underscored for me in an interview several years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is known as an effective leader on behalf of the cause of civil rights, a cause that was rooted in the worth of the individual and was devoted to changing the law at the time to reflect a more just perspective. But, King did not wield racial division as a sword, rather, he saw the opportunity to bring racial harmony, calling for people to be judged not on the color of their skin, but the content of their character.

Unfortunately, you have people today who claim to be opposing racism by practicing racism.  The so-called "anti-racists" actually embrace racist ideas but put them in a new package, and some advocate discrimination for the sake of combating what they perceive as injustice.

Here's the opening paragraph in a recent FoxNews.com story:

Guidance issued by the Biden administration states certain individuals may be considered "high risk" and more quickly qualify for monoclonal antibodies and oral antivirals used to treat COVID-19 based on their "race or ethnicity."

In a fact sheet issued for healthcare providers by the Food and Drug Administration, the federal agency approved emergency use authorizations of sotrovimab – a monoclonal antibody proven to be effective against the Omicron variant – only to patients considered "high risk."

The article adds, "Some states, including New York and Utah, have made it clear they will prioritize certain racial minorities over other high-risk patients when it comes to the distribution of particular COVID treatments."

There is quite a bit of enthusiasm for monoclonal antibodies as effective treatment, and it is concerning and even perplexing that these potentially life-saving treatments have not been distributed in an aggressive, widespread way.  And, here you have governmental officials who are trying to manipulate the process, it seems.

And, it seems that some in authority reject Dr. King's message of not viewing individuals by the color of their skin.

In a piece from the Answers in Genesis website, Brandon Clay offers this perspective:

Ibram X. Kendi, one of the prominent critical race theorists and author of How To Be An Antiracist, wrote, “The only remedy to racist discrimination is anti-racist discrimination. The only remedy to past discrimination is present discrimination. The only remedy to present discrimination is future discrimination.” Kendi is bold in his assertions.

Kendi is not alone in his aim to discriminate against people not of his “race” with the hope of correcting oppression experienced among that group. Another author wants to hate “white” people so much, she prays for it. According to Disrn, Chanequa Walker-Barnes, a self-proclaimed “public theologian and ecumenical minister” wrote in her book, A Rhythm of Prayer: A Collection of Meditations for Renewal, “Dear God, Please help me to hate White people. Or at least want to hate them. At least, I want to stop caring about them, individually and collectively. I want to stop caring about their misguided, racist souls, to stop believing that they can better, that they can stop being racist.”

One adjustment: that book is actually a collection of essays compiled by author Sarah Bessey.

Clay writes:

CRT-inspired theorists, ministers, and actors overtly aim to elevate some “races” over other races and discriminate in the process. This is the very definition of racism or biblical ethnocentrism. If you were to flip the script on these statements, it may appear more obviously problematic. For instance, take the prayer posted earlier, insert “black” instead of “white,” and consider the result. You could also insert “Hispanics,” “Asians,” or any other evolution-inspired race into Walker-Barnes’ prayer. Her ethnocentrism is made all the more glaring when the tables are turned. And if it sounds wrong to hate one “race,” it should sound just as wrong for any “race.”

Why is that? Because God’s Word opposes ethnic discrimination. One “race” is not better than another “race.” We are all made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). God didn’t create “blacks” or ‘whites” in his image. All people, regardless of skin color, were made to reflect the Creator’s image.

I believe you could make the case that the basis for the teachings of Martin Luther King, Jr. and much of the civil rights movement is a Biblical understanding of race and justice.  The Answers in Genesis piece concludes by noting:

Thankfully, we don’t have to follow the false religion of critical race theory to have hope for ethnic tensions to fade. God has given us an opportunity to be reconciled to himself through Jesus and the good news of the gospel. Moreover, Christians have a robust, biblical worldview that acknowledges distinctions between ethnicities and promotes ethnic reconciliation. God has graciously given us a solution to racism and division between people groups through Christ. There is no reason to be swayed by critical race theory. We have everything we need in Christ.

There is much to consider regarding the teachings of Dr. King, and this day gives us an opportunity to think about Biblical justice.  It's not "an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth;" rather, we should keep our eyes open for ways to make things right.  Instead of trying to level the playing field, we should be devoted toward elevating all people and ultimately bringing restoration. 

Each of us is a unique creation of God, and in our differences, even through our differences, we can see God do a powerful work.  We should never allow our differences to divide us and turn us against one another, but we can recognize what each of us brings to the mission of God on the earth. In our humanity, we have to guard against turning against one another, rather Christians should set an example and build one another up in Christ's love.