This motivational speech was presented at Delta College, Bay City, Michigan, and Wednesday, January 20, 2010. We felt the information contained within this speech would be beneficial to families throughout the world. Please enjoy reading the inspirational information. The audience consisted of college students and teachers. The speech was modified for the website.
It’s a tremendous honor to celebrate with you a great leader Martin Luther King (MLK) who is now with many of our great ancestors. Martin Luther King lived and died for the freedom of all mankind. His heart was linked to the injustices he observed in our nation. He found his niche and he died for equality and justice for all mankind. We have focused over the past years on his famous speech “I have a Dream”.
However before King became famous, he gave a speech February 28, 1954 in Detroit, Michigan titled “Rediscovering Lost Values”. In King’s speech, He spoke of our great scientific achievements through scientific genius.
He states and I quote: “Man’s scientific genius has been amazing. I think we have to look much deeper than that if we are to find the real cause of man’s problems and the real cause of the world’s ills today. If we are to really find it I think we will have to look in the hearts and souls of men.”
King spoke of those words fifty-five (56) years ago. It is as though he is speaking to us today. It is very important for us to rediscover our lost moral Values. There are twelve steps to Rediscovering Lost Values Through Partnerships that will enable us to impact our families and our world. I truly believe we can through the use of partnerships.
A partnership is the relationship between two or more people or organizations that are involved in the same activity. There are twelve acrostic letters for the word p.a.r.t.n.e.r.s.h.i.p.s.
Step 1 is Personal: We have a Personal responsibility to contribute to the success of families, neighbors, friends, society, government, nations and businesses and the world. We must personally model moral values within the foundation of our own lives so it can transfer to our families and our world.
Step 2 is Adjust: We must Adjust to a changing world in order for our families and businesses to survive so we can prosper and use our prosperity and resources to respond to the needs relating to our families and in our communities; issues such as lack of spirituality, substance abuse, anger, education, unemployment, literacy, health care, poverty, crime, blight, housing, recreation, and the lack of unity.
Step 3 is Relationship: We must build a Relationship with each other in order to move in the same direction to address the aforementioned needs. We must bring our individual skills and talents to the table. We have a moral obligation to share our unconditional love with others.
Again I quote King from his speech, “Rediscovering Lost Values:” “But the real danger confronting civilization today is that atomic bomb which lies in the hearts and souls of men, capable of exploding into the vilest of hate and into the most damaging selfishness-that’s the atomic bomb that we’ve got to fear today.”
I personally believe we can quench the atomic bomb that lies in the hearts of people. Strong, healthy relationships project moral values to society.
Step 4 is Transform: Therefore, we must Transform our way of thinking by thinking outside the box to come up with new ideas and solutions. The world has changed and if our families, businesses and organizations are to survive, we need stable communities and skilled workforces that will meet the needs of society. Thinking outside the box gives us a new perspective on how to bring stability to communities.
Step 5 is Neglect: We must not Neglect those communities that are decaying but we must grow beyond our own selfish domain so others may be blessed by the fruits of our labor.
Step 6 is Effort: It will take great Effort to break down the walls of our own selfish domain but I believe through partnerships we can transform our communities and the hearts of people. I believe through removing selfishness from our life then through partnerships we will rediscover lost values.
Step 7 is Responsibility: We have a Responsibility and moral obligation to train and mentor our youth to carry the mantle of moral values. This should empower them to obtain the skills they need to build a strong family foundation. We want them to value education and entrepreneurship from generation to generation. This is the very reason we need to dedicate our hearts to our families.
Step 8 is Servant: We must consider valuing the need to be a Servant to each other. We should value the importance of volunteering our time to assist others, which will enhance society through the relationships we build. Yes, servanthood – if we all applied this to all our relationships the world would be different.
Step 9 is Honesty: Honesty must be an important part of the partnerships. We should never build relationships for selfish gains but contribute to the success of others. Honesty can be the driving force to help us to build the relationships needed to address the social ills of society.
Another quote from King’s speech “Rediscovering Lost Values:”
“But I’m here to say to you this morning that some things are right and some things are wrong. Eternally so, absolutely so.”
We should not allow our lives to be governed by selfishness, if we do, we will implode.
Step 10 is Invest: It will take our inner strength to Invest our time, resources and money into partnerships. But our own ideology can hinder partnerships, but I believe in the power of the human heart. With our hearts, we have the ability to influence the lives of people around the world. We can do both by bringing our own individuality to the table. I am sure we can form partnerships that can make us profitable so we can give back to help redevelop our communities.
Step 11 is Persevere: We must Persevere regardless of the obstacles we face because our communities, city, county, region, state, America and the world needs us. We can make a difference by making personal sacrifices to build a community of hope and rediscover moral values through partnerships.
Step 12 is Spirituality: Spirituality will play an important role in rediscovering the moral values of the world. We must not forget the impact God has had on shaping our lives and on the development of our nation and the world.
We need to come together as true partners if we are to survive during these difficult times. The family foundation is broken and we can repair family foundation by working together. It needs to be repaired in order to be successful in rediscovering moral values in the world.
Let me share an analogy with you. Here’s a simple question I need a response to. “What is a Piggy Bank?”
What are you investing in your piggy bank?
1. If you invest pennies in your piggy bank what can you retrieve from your piggy bank?
2. If you also invest quarters in your piggy bank what can you retrieve from your piggy bank?
3. If you now invest dollars in your piggy bank what can you retrieve from your piggy bank?
4. If you invest hundreds of dollars in your piggy bank what can you retrieve from your piggy bank?
5. If you invest thousands of dollars in your piggy bank what can you retrieve from your piggy bank?
You are correct you can retrieve pennies, quarters, dollars, hundreds of dollars and thousands of dollars. You have the option as to what you will retrieve from your piggy bank. I want you to know that the piggy bank represents your brain. Everything you have seen, heard and experienced is stored in your piggy bank (brain)
If you invest in negativity, immorality, selfishness, hatred, drugs, crime, yelling, cursing, fighting, deceptions and lies, that’s what you most likely will retrieve from your piggy bank.
In order to overcome the social ills of society, family problems, and our selfish hearts, we must invest wisely in our piggy bank. We must let our hearts focus on Rediscovering Lost Values through the twelve steps of P.a.r.t.n.e.r.s.h.i.p.s
I believe in you! I believe that God has set aside a remnant of people who will model moral values throughout the world.
Repeat after me three times:
I will invest wisely in my piggy bank.
I will invest wisely in my piggy bank.
I will invest wisely in my piggy bank.
I encourage you now to use your heart, soul, and mind to apply your investments wisely into society.
God bless you and your family, God bless America and the world as you invest wisely in Rediscovering Lost Values through P.a.r.t.n.e.r.s.h.i.p.s