Yes, you read that right.  Love your enemies.  Why?  Because it’s the right way to be.  I did not say let them keep using you.  I did not say forget what they’ve inflicted upon you.  Just love them.  Forgive them.  Pray for them.

FYI: The tree in the speech is a metaphor for the cross that Jesus was crucified on.  Dr. King was a Baptist minister, of course he’s going to use imagery that his followers will be familliar with.  Jesus is the character he speaks of in the speech.  Whether you’ve chosen to believe in Christ or not – you gotta give it to Dr. King.  He writes beautiful and powerful speeches.  And he delivers them with eloquence unmatched in our generation.

Dr. Martin Luther King made this speech over fifty years ago.  And we people of faith (be we Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddist etc…) are still trying to help the world transform into a place of peace and love.  Give his words a listen.  They are as true today as they were back then.