Counterculture

“None of what they’ve done is wasted; God blesses them for it all in the end.” (Revelation 14:13 MSG)

In the 1700’s, the economy of South Carolina was dependent on slavery. Plantation owners used slave labor for cultivation of rice and indigo. All children born to a slave mother were classified as slaves. For generations, this system of profiteering from oppression continued. 

The Quakers, who were abolitionists and pacifists, lived in isolation within the slave economy. They spoke out against humans owning and trading other humans. Their activism came at a social cost. Many of them were persecuted and forced to move away from the plantations. That generation of abolitionists did not get to see the fruits of their sacrifices; to them, it must have seemed as if all they had done was wasted. 

The Quakers were considered countercultural in the 1700’s. They faced ostracization for criticizing the slave economy and the plantation way of life. Modern day activists can learn from this history. Anyone who criticizes the status quo can expect pushback. Those who choose not to participate in or benefit from an economy that promotes inequality and injustice will feel isolated. Being different can be lonely. However, none of what they’ve done is wasted. God blesses them for it all in the end.