Power and Love

There are many, many people who could learn from this:

Power, properly understood, is the ability to achieve purpose. It isthe strength required to bring about social, political, or economic changes. In this sense power is not only desirable but necessary in order to implement the demands of love and justice. One of the greatest problems of history is that the concepts of love and power are usually contrasted as polar opposites. Love is identified with a resignation of power and power with a denial of love. What is needed is a realization that power without love is reckless and abusive and that love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice. Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love.

The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr. edited byClayborne Carson, pp. 324-325.

Thanks to Gift Hub for the reference.