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Nichelle Nichols was the star actress on the original Star Trek television series. When her superiors belittled her blackness, she was ready to quit and pursue a career in music. At an NAACP dinner, she met Dr. King. He urged her to stay at Star Trek because she was a model for others. She stayed and became a fixture on the TV show. She also persuaded NASA to hire more women and people of color. She led a drive and within four months recruited 1,600 women and 1,000 persons of color for NASA. By sacrificing her own plans, she made an impact on a nation. Thomas is well known as the doubting disciple of Jesus, but he was also a great leader. When Jesus spoke of returning to Judea to raise Lazarus from the dead, the disciples were afraid to go with him. But Thomas spoke up and said, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” His courage and devotion anticipated what eventually happened to all the disciples except John. They all died as martyrs for Jesus. Most of us will likely never die physically for our faith. But God does call us to give up our personal ambitions to do His will. He calls us to model godly behavior in an ungodly world. He wants us to stand against injustice and evil in our society. Courage and dedication like that of Nichols and Thomas are what we need.
