As Clark County and the rest of the nation paused to reflect on the work of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Monday, his messages of love in action and unity were celebrated.

It was also strikingly evident that these messages are as important and their dissemination as necessary as they were more decades ago when King became the most visible spokespersons and leader of the civil rights movement.

Here, we wanted to share some of the incredibly powerful words King penned and spoke as he fought for equality in our nation.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

“The time is always right to do what is right.”

“I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”

“I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”

As we approach the 50th anniversary of King’s assassination — April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee — we must be reminded not only of the powerful things that King said but also the peaceful methods he used to push for equality and fairness among all God’s people.

May these words be more than quotes of historical significance. It is our hope that half a century later, these words will be inspiration for those in our community and our nation — from the least of the these to those with the most authority — to be kinder, gentler, more understanding, more tolerant, more accepting, more loving and more willing to look beyond our differences. May these quotes be reminders celebrate our similarities but to also find strength in working alongside those who offer something different than us, whether that be because of their gender, race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, nationality or whatever else some might choose to use as a divisive force.

Instead, let us be united in our efforts to love more, to hate less and to speak out against injustice.