Charles Colson has written an interesting piece on "the spirit of collaboration" that marked William Wilberforce, the man who was instrumental in the abolition of the slave trade in Britain. In it, Colson points out that Wilberforce was a man who did not seek glory for himself and was willing to work with others to bring an end to this great evil. As Colson puts it, "I find it fascinating how God orchestrated such a marvelous symphony of talents to end the slave trade in Britain. Hannah More, a gifted playwright and poet, offered her writing skills and her great popularity with the people. Josiah Wedgewood applied his talent for creating beautiful pottery to make an anti-slavery brooch that soon became all the rage in England. John Newton and William Cowper wrote hymns and poems. And then there were others of the Clapham Circle, among them a former ambassador, a publisher, two Anglican priests, and a parliamentarian, who all lent their particular skills to the cause".
There is something important to learn here! While some people will get more public attention than others, in the kingdom of God great things are rarely accomplished alone. God has so structured our lives that we need one another and we can be much more effective if we work together in the name of the Lord Jesus. This does not mean that we should seek unity at all costs. Christian unity is unity in Christ as he is revealed in the Bible. But where there is essential unity in him, we can pray and work together, and in that way show the watching world that what we have in common far transcends our differences. Even though our unity will not be complete until glory, there is nothing to prevent us linking up with other Christians to accomplish objectives that we could never achieve on our own. In our world there are still many problems that are just as grievous as slavery that need to be exposed and abolished if possible. Wilberforce reminds us that we do not have to accept the present status quo as unchangeable. Christians acting as salt and light can bring significant change to this old world.
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