July Reflection
by Martin Harris
In this country there is a long tradition of godly men and women exercising influence in places that matter. On such was William Wilberforce, whom we remember in the Anglican Calendar on 29th July.
Wilberforce lived from 1759-1833, He was from Hull, the son of a wealthy merchant. In 1780 he became MP for Hull; then in 1784 for Yorkshire. He became a close friend of William Pitt the younger, who, borne the same year as Wilberforce, had become Britain's youngest prime minister at the age of 24.
Within a year of becoming MP for Yorkshire, Wilberforce became a Christian. Within 4 years, he entered a 19 year struggle for the abolition of the slave trade in this country. In 1807 he succeeded, then turned his attentions to slavery overseas.
His wealthy background might easily have told against him. As the son of a merchant, there would have been many vested interests who would not have liked his views. Maybe they tried to influence his family against him. \par Then again he was close to power. How easy it is to sacrifice principle for power or popularity. In the various reshuffles that doubtless happened, were there occasions when personal advance might have happened more readily if he had dropped his passion, or allowed it to become a hobby. A sense of God's calling can be lost more subtly than through straight denial of it.
Thankfully he didn't. In the words of Paul, he was not disobedient to the heavenly vision (Acts 26:19). All of us are in positions where we are subject to the influence or power of others. Wilberforce points us towards the example of Christ. May he be an example to us. In our use of power; in our ambitions; in our willingness to get involved as Christians in public life. In this period following the elections, let us also be praying for our civic and national leaders (see 1 Timothy 2:1ff) that they too might follow the example of Wilberforce.