St. Peter standing before the Sanhedrin said, “Better for us to obey God than men.” How can we be sure that we are in fact in touch with God’s will when we are defying the conventional norms? Dr. MLKing, Jr. provided a method for ensuring that acting for justice in the face of unjust laws is of God and not simply our own willfulness. The point of direct action, he said, is not simply to impose my vision on another person. Rather, it is designed to change hearts and minds. That is why the action must be done openly with a willingness to accept the consequences. This method is designed to be inclusive, to invite opponents into a prayerful reflection as the way to unity.
