World-Changing Faith Without World-Changing Influence

I awoke to my alarm this morning at 5:45 to attend to a bit of routine that needs to happen at the same time every morning. Most Saturdays, I go right back to sleep and allow myself to sleep later into the morning than usual. Today, however, my mind awoke quickly. I felt rested, since we’d had a relaxed evening last night and had gone to bed before 10:00. When I got out of bed at 6:15, my husband sleepily reminded me, “You know it’s Saturday, right?” Yes, I know it’s Saturday and I am so thankful for it. The weekdays are grueling right now. I’m exhausted. We’re only two weeks into the Spring semester and I feel like it’s been six. I’m going to need “a little bit of coffee and a whole lot of Jesus” to make it through. (I don’t know who started saying that phrase but I see it everywhere and I like it). Today is a “work at home” day. I have several school items that need tending to but since it’s Saturday I plan on tending to them on my couch in my lounge clothes. Right now, I’m sipping my coffee and enjoying the quietness of the early morning. 

I’ve had several things brewing in my mind lately. Harding University instituted a “Harding Read” this year. The idea is that everyone on campus will be working their way through the same book, which will in turn be the topic of discussion and growth. I’m slowly making my way through. The book this year is Amazing Grace – William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery by Eric Metaxas. I don’t remember not knowing who Wilberforce was, but I also don’t remember knowing much about him. I knew his name in the context of the abolitionist movement, and I knew that he was a devout Christian. Beyond that, I knew little but had always been curious. The “Harding Read” has given me the opportunity to pursue that curiosity, if only in the form of this one biography. 

He was an incredibly young member of Parliament, close friends with Britain’s youngest prime minister, and quite brilliant. Following his conversion to Christianity (which he refers to as The Great Change), Wilberforce remained in government and his faith drove his tireless fight for the abolition of the slave trade in England. Twenty years, he fought. People joined and left the cause. It seemed hopeless. And yet, in 1807, he was triumphant. The slave trade in the British Empire was abolished. Slavery itself persisted until the year of Wilberforce’s death in 1833, when Parliament voted to abolish slavery once and for all.

The story of Wilberforce is inspiring. As I have read I’ve felt moved to act, but how? The practice of abortion in the United States has come to my mind several times as a modern parallel. Just as slavery then, the issues surrounding abortion are complicated. And yet, it comes down to this – it should never be easy to take a human life. Additional societal ills of our time include race relations, the state of our inner cities, human trafficking, and a general apathy surrounding morality. All of these issues need champions. Champions like Wilberforce and like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The truest form of Christianity stirs its followers to act in opposition to these ills. I have felt stirred and inspired to some great thing, but I find myself in rural Arkansas with no political affiliations. The past months have been frustrating in these areas – the presidential election in the USA coincided with my reading of this book. I’ve felt caught in the crossfire between two opposing armies. Armies who both propagate the war and who seem to care very little about the collateral damage. All I hear is shouting. No one is listening. No one is calm. No one is self-examining. A Wilberforce is needed, and though I feel inspired, I also feel handicapped.

Enter the last couple of weeks. Eric Metaxas came to speak at Harding. The whole event was wonderful. There were so many things to think about. The one thing that spoke the most to me was this: Metaxas was speaking about those who are inspired by Wilberforce, and so think that they must do something great. They should enter politics or some public arena and do something great for society because of their faith. Metaxas says, “No.” He reminds us (and I’m paraphrasing) that Wilberforce was already in a position of political leadership when he became convicted about these things. He simply lived out his faith where he was. Where he was just happened to be a position in which he could slowly affect worldwide change. Metaxas reminded us that we can dream of doing great things for God but God may have us do small things, and that small things done out of faith will be greater than the great things done because we have big dreams. That spoke to me. That, I can do. I’m not in a position of power. I’m not an orator. I’m not connected to the media. I am not in a position that will change the world dramatically. But, I am in a position to change the world for the people with whom I interact. I may never participate in the March for Life, but I most certainly can provide love and support to any expectant mother with whom I come into contact. So many abortions happen because the mothers feel pressured into them, as if they have no one to support them. I can be that person. I can save that one child. I may never bust a human trafficking ring, but I can continue to teach the value of human life and dignity to my students. I may never be in a position to affect national or global race relations, but I can treat everyone with whom I come in contact with fairness and love. Those things are in my power. These things are worth doing. They may seem small, but imagine what change would come about if every person would direct themselves toward being the change they wish to see. It’s not enough to protest. It’s not enough to obstruct “the enemy”. I do believe that Christ and His love is the answer to every societal ill. It’s time for me to live like it right where I am. Will you join me?