Lesssons from Wilberforce

This weekend sees the celebration of the vote to end the transatlantic slave trade. Rightfully, christians across the UK will be celebrating this supernatural achievement with a variety of events.

Uncle Arthur will be attending a special 24-7 prayer meeting aimed at addressing the twenty-first century evil of human traffik. Proving that though we celebrate the work of Wilberforce and others, the work of social justice is never truly complete.

http://www.stopthetraffik.org/default.aspx

Although, Uncle Arthur is trying to really discover what are the broader lessons for Christians to embrace when considering the inspiring example of William Wilberforce? Here are some thoughts.

1) Engagement is Vital - Christians in the UK need to engage in politics - and do so in a graceful and truthful way. This engagement needs to be comprehensive and not just on the 'fashionable' issues, eg Make Poverty History, as worthy as they are. Wilberforce saw the need to get involved in politics, which calls for some degree of worldly wisdom and getting your hands dirty. We need more christians prepared to engage and not just 'rage.'

2) Worldview - Wilberforce's worldview shaped his politics. He knew that a christian, kingdom perspective could not live with the 'zeitgeist' of the time which assumed that British economic well-being was linked to the slave trade. He had a different view and that inevitable led him to campaign against and deconstruct the prevailing mindset.

3) Politics is mission - we need to see a generation of christians who see the call to service in politics as godly and noble. The earth is the Lords and we need to see a missionary movement of young christians breaking into politics. Wilberforce clearly saw his political career as a calling. In many ways the UK political scene has been a sort of 'unreached people group' by and large, with it's own tribal traditions and definitely its own inscrutable language. Let's pray for a generation of missionaries to reach this 'people group' with the gospel.

4) When we step out, God steps up. Wilberforce has the courage to stand and saw God move. He was persistent and faced many threats, discouragements and set-backs but God delivered. We need to have a measure of that faith and courage today.