Will You Fight For A Cause?
The other day, I watched Amazing Grace, the movie. Several people had recommended it to me, and I highly recommend it to you. The movie tells the story of William Wilberforce (1759-1833) who was a member of the British Parliament. During his career, he converted to Christianity and wondered if becoming a monk or minister would be better for him than continuing in politics.
In the movie, Wilberforce meets some anti-slave trade activists. One of them, a man, says, “Mr. Wilberforce, we understand you’re having problems choosing whether to do the work of God or the work of a political activist.” After a dramatic pause, a woman quietly but confidently continues, “We humbly suggest that you can do both.”
For the rest of his life, Wilberforce fought valiantly to abolish slavery in the British Empire. He gathered evidence, held meetings, sought to persuade other members of parliament, and introduced an anti-slave bill each year. Year after year, his colleagues ridiculed him, his plans were frustrated, and he became very ill. But he did not give up.
Finally, just three days before his death, Wilberforce heard that the Bill for the Abolition of Slavery was guaranteed to pass, which it did one month later on August 28, 1833. William Wilberforce was a man who observed the horrific practice of slavery, believed he could do something to stop it, and sacrificed his life to do so.
Are we willing to fight for such a cause? When we observe suffering, injustice, immorality, corruption or anything that causes tearful eyes or anxious hearts do we act to make it cease? Do we dedicate enough time to solving problems around us to help improve our families, communities, and our nation?
Are we even aware of the critical issues of our day? Do we inform ourselves about them and seek to understand and undertake the best steps to resolve them? Or do we rest apathetically in our comfortable La-Z-Boys of life choosing to ignore the perilous storms that swirl around us? Do we hope or assume that someone else–someone more determined, educated, or eloquent will protect us?
I believe that ordinary people like Mr. Wilberforce, you, and me can accomplish extraordinary things. To do so requires courage, persistence, and knowledge, but we can do it. I hope that each of us will identify just one truth we can defend, one injustice we can remedy, or one cause we deem worthy–whatever it is–that we can fervently support.
I hope that just as our founding fathers did in support of the Declaration of Independence, we can “pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor” for a cause that we believe to be just.
What do you think?
