The Faith of Rosa Parks
Lest you think that my husband Ray and I always agree on things, let me tell you my reaction when he first told me the topic of his most recent podcast: “Much More than A Street Name.” I am embarrassed to say that when he first mentioned that he was considering doing the podcast on Rosa Parks, I tried to dissuade him, not out of disrespect for Rosa Parks, but out of a feeling that people would rather hear about someone they didn’t already know about. I was afraid he was choosing a typical Black History Month topic that people wouldn’t listen to because they thought they already knew about her.
Wow, was I wrong. We all know already that Rosa Parks is more than a street name, but I was very excited to learn details that make her story much more than a street name. I don’t want to lessen the impact of what Ray has to say, but I want to mention her deep Christian faith. Ray quotes Rosa Parks herself in the podcast and, of course, she says it much better than I can. I encourage you to listen and learn about her faith from her own words.
When you have 22 minutes to listen, you can listen here. If you prefer reading, you can also read the transcript at the same location.
Parks was never forced to go to church but always wanted to go. Her faith developed when she was a child. Talking to God and reading from His Word became integral to her life. This foundation of faith, prayer, and the Word of God gave her the strength, courage, and wisdom she needed to stand up for her people on December 1, 1955. Instead of standing up for the white person who wanted her seat, she stood up for her people by remaining seated.
Life-size bronze statue of Rosa Parks
located at a Dallas Area Rapid Transit station in Dallas, Texas.
Courtesy of The Lyda Hill Texas Collection of Photographs
in Carol M. Highsmith’s America Project,
Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division.
Parks appreciated her mother, grandmother, and grandfather for helping her make the Bible a part of her life early on. Like Rosa Parks’ mother and grandparents, let’s train our children when and where to be seated and when and where to stand.
But God, being rich in mercy,
because of His great love with which He loved us,
even when we were dead in our transgressions,
made us alive together with Christ
(by grace you have been saved),
and raised us up with Him,
and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
so that in the ages to come He might show
the surpassing riches of His grace
in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 2:4-7
Now I make known to you, brethren,Â
the gospel which I preached to you,
which also you received, in which also you stand . . .
1Corinthians 16:13