Real change is possible

By Pastor Mark Mast
RR Ministerial

This past Friday evening I took my family to see the acclaimed Hollywood movie Amazing Grace.
The film opens at the close of the 18th century in Great Britain. William Wilberforce (a junior member of Parliament in the House of Commons) has repeatedly presented bills to eliminate African slave trade, only to have them voted down by his colleagues. Eight years of fruitless effort promoting abolition have left Wilberforce demoralized, discouraged and depleted.
Yet, Wilberforce chooses to stay the course, fight the good fight, and be salt and light in a fallen world. In the case of William Wilberforce, that fight lasted for over 20 years.
The movie beautifully portrays the value and dignity of every human being.
Let’s be honest. Though slavery was officially banned in Great Britain in 1807 and in the United States in 1865, there are still deep injustices that keep millions of people in bondage around our globe today. Whether it's genocide in places such as Darfur, Sudan; or the exploitative sex trafficking of young girls in Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia, slavery and savagery still haunt us.
Is there a need for men and women like William Wilberforce in our world today? More than ever! One determined person can make an enormous difference in the shape of history. One persistent individual can make a huge difference in the town of Rainy River! Wilberforce's commitment to abolition ultimately led to the termination of the British slave trade. What will the determined efforts of a community like Rainy River accomplish today?
We may be tempted to believe our involvement can't accomplish much. Our sin brings so many evils into the world. But, Wilberforce’s life story inspires us to believe that real change is possible. It can begin to happen right here. When a person serving Jesus Christ stands firm, the tide will turn!
I hope that I have convinced you to see the movie Amazing Grace. I encourage you to be a part of changing the course of history by the marvelous grace of God working in your life!
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2Timothy 4:7).