Two Competing Ways to Fix the World

There are some similarities between the two.  Both stories:

• Are from settings in the late 19th/early 20th centuries
• Have at least part of the story set in Chicago (all of The Jungle, some of In His Steps)
• Are visionary in the sense that the authors aren’t just trying to entertain the reader but hope to effect change in the reader’s heart and mind.  In a sense, the authors are acting like preachers–preaching through their fiction. 

But the sermons they preach are very different. 

The Jungle is not about a literal jungle.  It is about the awful conditions of the meat packing houses of early 1900’s Chicago.  It famously spoke of men disappearing into the sausage vats, never to be seen again.  I had heard of that before I read the novel. 

But the novel is really not about meat packing plants so much as it is about a Lithuanian immigrant family and the hardships and unfairness they faced in trying to make a living amidst the capitalist systems of Chicago.  The novel was good in the sense that it told an interesting story.  It made you feel for the main characters and what they were going through.  But the ending degenerated into socialist speakers making speeches for their cause.  The author tried too hard to make his point.  And it was the wrong point. 

Upton Sinclair, the author, was a proud socialist.  He hoped to effect social change by working for the victory of socialism in the political arena.  He later ran for governor of California.  Thankfully, he lost. 

His novel did effect some social change, but not in the way he intended.  It resulted in pure food laws which improved the ways food was handled.  Sinclair was disappointed that that’s all it did; he wanted more than just sanitary improvements. 

The other book, In His Steps, preached a very different sermon.  It was probably the first widely known Christian novel.  First published in 1897, it featured a group of Christians in the fictional city of Raymond who decided to ask themselves the question: ‘What would Jesus do?’ based on 1 Peter 2:21, “…Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.”  People in the book volunteered to take the pledge to do as Jesus would do, and we read of their stories of deepened discipleship and the sometimes-costly changes they had to make in their comfortable lives. 

Some have criticized this novel by saying that it focuses too much on following Jesus’ example rather than emphasizing Christ’s cross or salvation by grace.  But I disagree with these critics.  Every character in the story who takes on the challenge to do as Jesus would do has already had a salvation experience.  They are not just turning over a new leaf; they are taking their discipleship more seriously. 

And I very much agree with its worldview, which is: the best way to change the world positively is for people to take their Christianity seriously.   This far better than promoting communism, socialism, humanism or some other ‘ism’. 

In modern times we have an example–right before our very eyes–of a whole society that used to be largely Christian but is now mostly socialism/humanism based: Western Europe. 

Western Europe was made great because the principles of Christianity were, though unevenly and imperfectly, in place over a period of about 1,500 years.  The foundation of Christian morality, self-restraint and personal responsibility was woven into society and made western Europe great.

But not too long ago new leaders came in with a different mindset.  Christianity was jettisoned in favor of something else: socialism and humanism, as seen in the values of the European Union (EU).  I see this as not only a change of worldview, but of something very bad.  The thing that made Europe great–Christianity–was traded out in favor of new political philosophy.  The state took the place that God once held.  And, no surprise, we see this change working itself out in ‘European values’, which are not Christian values.  They turned away from a solid-rock foundation built on Christian principles and exchanged it for a foundation of sand. 

Nor are those leaders even grateful for the part Christianity had in making it great.  I’ve never heard of any EU statesman give any credit for the part Christianity made in making Europe a leading part of the world–it’s like they’re taking the money and running.  Sure, they like the cathedrals (and the tourism it brings) but it is not my impression that they attend services in those cathedrals.  They do not look to God; they look to themselves.  Their attitude is proud and arrogant.  They chose Sinclair’s socialistic way (The Jungle) over Sheldon’s Christian way (In His Steps). 

Lest you think I’m too hard on Europe, I fully know the same thing could happen anywhere.  The temptation to stray into a self-centered arrogance is universal.  It could happen to the USA.  It could happen to us personally.

So, what’s the best way to change the world?  Adopt socialism?  No.  Socialism is a belief that elites should tax you highly, regulate you highly and tell you how to live.  It’s a foundation built on sand.  It has become almost a religion for some–a substitute for God.

The best way to change the world is to be saved.  Give your life to Christ.  Then, based on that, follow Christ’s example and do the good works that He would have you do. 

Ephesians 2:8-10 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”  Notice the order: salvation, then doing the good works God wants you to do. 

I think of socialism (or simply relying too much on government instead of God) as the biggest present-day rival to Christianity.  In the past there were other rivals; in the future, I’m sure it will change again.  But now, it seems that the big choice out there is Christianity or socialism.  We can choose which foundation to build on.  Going the way of Christ is good for us and good for the world.