Every now and then I guess we all think realistically
(Yes, sir) about that day when we will be
victimized with what is life's final common
denominator—that something that we call
death.
We all think about it.
And every now and then I think about my own
death and I think about my own funeral.
And I don't think of it in a morbid sense.
And every now and then I ask myself, "What
is it that I would want said?"
And I leave the word to you this morning.
If any of you are around when I have to meet
my day, I don’t want a long funeral.
And if you get somebody to deliver the eulogy,
tell them not to talk too long.
(Yes) And every now and then I wonder what
I want them to say.
Tell them not to mention that I have a Nobel
Peace Prize—that isn’t important.
Tell them not to mention that I have three
or four hundred other awards—that’s not
important.
Tell them not to mention where I went to school.
(Yes)
I'd like somebody to mention that day that
Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to give his
life serving others.
(Yes)
I'd like for somebody to say that day that
Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to love somebody.
I want you to say that day that I tried to
be right on the war question.
(Amen)
I want you to be able to say that day that
I did try to feed the hungry.
(Yes)
And I want you to be able to say that day
that I did try in my life to clothe those
who were naked.
(Yes)
I want you to say on that day that I did try
in my life to visit those who were in prison.
(Lord)
I want you to say that I tried to love and
serve humanity.
(Yes)
Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum
major, say that I was a drum major for justice.
(Amen) Say that I was a drum major for peace.
(Yes) I was a drum major for righteousness.
And all of the other shallow things will not
matter.
(Yes) I won't have any money to leave behind.
I won't have the fine and luxurious things
of life to leave behind.
But I just want to leave a committed life
behind.
(Amen) And that's all I want to say.
If I can help somebody as I pass along,
If I can cheer somebody with a word or song,
If I can show somebody he's traveling wrong,
Then my living will not be in vain.
If I can do my duty as a Christian ought,
If I can bring salvation to a world once wrought,
If I can spread the message as the master
taught,
Then my living will not be in vain.
Yes, Jesus, I want to be on your right or
your left side, (Yes) not for any selfish
reason.
I want to be on your right or your left side,
not in terms of some political kingdom or
ambition.
But I just want to be there in love and in
justice and in truth and in commitment to
others, so that we can make of this old world
a new world.
