Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. day—a day on which we remember Dr. King for the important role that he played in American history and, in particular, in holding our nation to its founding principle, as written in the Declaration of Independence, that “all men are created equal.”

But Dr. King’s legacy is not just one of making a mark on history—it is a legacy of the enduring importance of history itself.

When advocating for the civil rights of Americans who were denied equality under the law, Dr. King said that:

“When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir.”

He could say that, because he knew the history of the nation.

When demanding justice while advocating peace from a Birmingham jail cell, he wrote that Jesus had commanded “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you,” and that the prophet Amos had declared, “let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

He could write that, because knew the history of the Bible.

Even Dr. King’s name—which was originally Michael, but then changed by his father to Martin Luther, in honor of the German priest whose 95 theses initiated the Protestant Reformation—is a monument to the importance of history.

Dr. King’s own name is witness to the history of the church.

So, when you study history, remember: It is not just an adventurous look at the interesting and curious events of the past—it is God’s story lived out by humanity: who we are, where we came from, where we are headed.  And that story matters as much to us today as it did to Dr. King sixty years ago.

Have a wonderful day.