Favor Fridays with Tony: The Favor of the Call – Honoring Black Women Who Answer God's Purpose in the Shadow of Legacy

Welcome to this special edition of Favor Fridays with Tony, where we reflect on both a pivotal moment in American history and a powerful legacy that still echoes today. It’s the 4th day of International Black Women's History Month, and it marks 57 years since the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968.

While today is a solemn day of remembrance, it is also a moment of divine reflection—a moment to look at the favor of the call: how Black women, then and now, continue to answer the call of God’s purpose in their lives, even while standing in the shadow of legacies built on struggle, sacrifice, and vision.

The Call of Purpose – A Sacred Assignment

Dr. King’s life and legacy were a direct result of answering a call from God. His “yes” reshaped not just the Civil Rights Movement, but history itself. But often overlooked in the same story are the Black women who also said yes—quietly, boldly, and consistently—to God’s call on their lives.

The favor of the call isn’t about fame. It’s about faithful obedience. It’s about Black women who lead families, movements, ministries, and businesses with purpose, compassion, and vision—despite not always being seen or celebrated.

Today, we reflect on this holy calling and how the divine favor of purpose continues to shine through Black women who have never stopped answering.

Biblical Women Who Answered the Call

1. Mary Magdalene – Called to Witness

She was the first person to witness the resurrection and the first to share the gospel. She didn’t hold a title in the temple, but she held one of the most important messages ever delivered. She reminds us that God calls women to testify and to lead.

2. Ruth – Called to Faithfulness

Even in grief and displacement, Ruth answered the call to walk faithfully with Naomi. That obedience led her to Boaz, to legacy, and ultimately into the lineage of Jesus.

3. Esther – Called to Intercede

Esther’s call came through crisis, but her courage saved a nation. Her story shows us that purpose sometimes requires boldness and risk—and God favors the faithful.

4. The Woman at the Well – Called to Evangelize

After one conversation with Jesus, she became an evangelist to her entire town. Her testimony became revival. She reminds us that the call can come in our brokenness—and still bring purpose.

The Women Who Answered the Call Alongside Dr. King

Dr. King did not stand alone. Many Black women walked beside him, often in the background, answering their own God-given calls. Here are just a few:

1. Coretta Scott King – The Keeper of the Dream

More than a widow, Coretta was a warrior. After her husband's death, she carried the dream forward, founding The King Center and fighting for justice, peace, and human rights until her final breath.

2. Dorothy Cotton – The Voice of Education

The only woman in Dr. King’s executive team, she led the Citizenship Education Program, which trained thousands of people in civil disobedience, literacy, and voting rights.

3. Ella Baker – The Architect of Grassroots Leadership

Ella Baker believed in bottom-up organizing and helped found the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). Her call was clear: to develop young leaders and empower the people.

4. Diane Nash – The Face of Courage

As a student leader in the Freedom Rides and Nashville sit-ins, Nash demonstrated fearless faith. Her actions were a response to her call to resist injustice with dignity.

Black Women Today – Still Answering the Call

The call didn’t end in the 60s. Black women today continue to walk in their purpose, responding to God’s voice and creating change:

Bernice King – The Daughter Who Carries the Torch: As the CEO of The King Center, Dr. Bernice King continues her parents’ legacy of nonviolence, justice, and spiritual leadership. Her voice as a preacher, author, and activist echoes the same vision her father had—but in a world her mother helped shape.
Mothers raising children while pursuing education or ministry
Pastors leading congregations with humility and strength
Activists advocating for justice in local communities
Artists, writers, and creatives shaping culture through truth
Entrepreneurs creating opportunities in underserved neighborhoods

Their lives are living proof that the favor of God’s call is still alive and active. Black women today continue to walk in their purpose, responding to God’s voice and creating change:

Mothers raising children while pursuing education or ministry
Pastors leading congregations with humility and strength
Activists advocating for justice in local communities
Artists, writers, and creatives shaping culture through truth
Entrepreneurs creating opportunities in underserved neighborhoods

Their lives are living proof that the favor of God’s call is still alive and active.

Scripture for the Journey

Isaiah 6:8 (MSG) “And I heard the voice of the Master: ‘Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?’ I spoke up, ‘I’ll go. Send me!’”

This is the heart of the called woman. She doesn't wait for the world’s approval—she responds to God's invitation with bold surrender.

What It Looks Like to Answer the Call Today

1. Recognizing the Whisper

God often speaks through a quiet nudge—a burden on your heart, a recurring dream, or a deep compassion. Black women who listen to that whisper find themselves walking into divine appointments.

2. Serving Where You Are

The call doesn’t always mean starting a nonprofit or standing at a podium. Sometimes it means showing up—in classrooms, in courtrooms, in kitchens, and at community meetings—with presence and purpose.

3. Preparing for the Next Generation

Answering the call includes mentoring, guiding, and lifting up others. Favor multiplies when it’s passed on.

4. Leading with Faith, Not Fear

There will be pushback, pressure, and sometimes pain. But God equips those He calls. The anointing breaks the yoke—and favor covers the journey.

Final Reflection

On this day of remembrance, as we honor the sacrifice of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., let us also celebrate the ongoing obedience of Black women who answer the call of God in their own lives. Their favor is not loud—but it is lasting. Their impact is not always seen—but it is eternal.

You, too, are called.

To build. To nurture. To pray. To speak. To write. To lead. To heal. To love.

Say yes.

Because favor follows the faithful.

Closing Word

Explore how characters in S.O.L.A.D.™: Soldiers of Light Against Darkness™ answer the call to fight for what is good and godly, even when the world is dark. Grab your autographed copy at www.tyronetonyreedjr.com/the-shop and be inspired to live your own calling.

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