Christians and the Example of William Wilberforce

Right now, I’m sitting in my bed unable to sleep. I just watched the movie “Amazing Grace,” and it really started me to thinking. The movie’s main character is William Wilberforce, a British politician who spends years pushing for the abolition of the slave trade. I was pleased that the movie displayed the importance of Wilberforce’s Christian beliefs and the influence they exerted on his decision to oppose such an abominable and demeaning practice.

As I watched the movie, I couldn’t help but notice that Wilberforce was a politically-involved Christian who worked for a positive change in the world. He was a reformer. That stands in distinct contrast to much of today’s politically-involved Christians. Maybe I’m wrong, but it seems to me that most Christians involved in the political/social arena are reactionary, not reformist. That is, today’s politically-involved Christian, by and large, is primarily focused on defending things such as the “traditional” family and the war in Iraq rather than attacking things such as poverty, racism, and unnecessary military spending. In short, Christians now have the reputation of caring more about polemics than about compassion.

I don’t think it’s enough to stop bad things from happening, though; Christians have a mandate to make good things happen, as well. We are, I believe, supposed to work for a positive change in the world, as people like Wilberforce, Martin Luther King, Jr., and others have. I’m not talking about a Social Gospel sort of thing which strives to meet the physical needs of man while failing to meet his real spiritual needs. Rather, I would argue that the call of Christ is a “holistic” call (to adapt something Brian McLaren wrote): His call will transform a man or woman inwardly and outwardly. Our new love for God will manifest itself in love for our fellow human being. We’ll not be content with simply opposing same-sex marriage; we’ll be motivated to attack poverty and the institutions, policies, and agendas which feed it, among other things.

But as I sit here and type all of this, I can’t help but ask myself, “What am I doing?” And that shows me the plank I have in my own eye. Oh sure, I’ve signed a couple of petitions, joined a couple of organizations, and added my name to a few mailing lists, but that, I think, pretty much sums up what I’ve done. I don’t really have a desire to be a political activist; as a matter of fact, I don’t like that idea at all. And when I think about the monumental nature of the task, I want to break down in tears. There’s so much to do, so much that I’m afraid will never be done. I want to be courageous, like Wilberforce, and stand up and denounce the evils of poverty and racism and such, but I feel so small, insignificant, and voiceless. And how can I do anything? I suppose I sound pretty bleak and depressing right now, but I have to be honest.

I’m not to the point of despair just yet, though. I know that there have to be others like myself out there, Christians who know that they should be working for positive change in the world--in both an individual and an institutional sense--and may be bewildered, completely dumbfounded by the task ahead, but hopeful that God’s will will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Lord, help us. We need each other, and we need You.