I have a trinket in my church office with a quote from Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This is the quote: "If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.”
The quote came during the civil rights movement when King’s focus was on equality for all, regardless of the race or nationality of an individual. His words offer a practical guidebook on leading change, especially when advocating for inclusion in society among those often overlooked. While the vision (or goal) is always the focus, change in society, and the church takes place through smaller, and what may appear at the time insignificant, steps that help to achieve the long-term vision. In other words, change happens through the accumulation of small victories that leads to our vision becoming a reality.
Photo by Olav Ahrens Røtne on Unsplash
Those who advocate for full inclusion of those with various disabilities in the church desire to see the church fully embrace and make room for all of God’s children as they are. We desire the church to accommodate the needs of an individual and make room for them and their families in our connections. This is a God-breathed and God-centered vision of inclusion.
It is a big dream and vision, yet it is achieved not in one sweeping moment but through small victories that build the momentum in the church, leading to full inclusion.
That seems counterintuitive in our culture today. In our fast-paced and have-it-now society, we expect immediate results from our initiatives and that the church will change overnight. We will put all our energy into thinking that one event, conversation, or blog post will change hearts and minds. We do this because we want our vision to come to life, and we cannot wait any longer for it to happen.
So, what happens when it does not happen overnight? We get frustrated and discouraged, which leads us to become cynical towards the church for not getting on board fast enough. That discouragement can lead to a belief that nothing will ever change or even make us want to walk away from the goal because we think it is hopeless. But when we put our hope in instant change, we set ourselves up for disappointment.
When we do this, we ignore the revelation of how God often brings about change through Scripture. It is a slow and meandering process, working through people to help them see God working in their lives and changing a community. God walked with the Israelites for 40 years before they were ready to proceed in their calling. Jesus spent three years walking with the disciples and helping them understand what it meant for the kingdom of God to be at hand. Change does not happen overnight, even when it involves inclusion for individuals with disabilities.
Recognizing that small victories are vital will help us reframe our energies and see that what seems insignificant at the moment are actually significant points along the journey toward full inclusion. The conversation with a pastor or ministry leader, which you felt did not go anywhere, is a seed for future ministry conversations and dialogue towards inclusion. The church that considers a ramp extension to help a person in a wheelchair get into the church is a step towards future discussions about other accommodations in the church. The special needs volunteer training event that only had three people show up can become a launching point for those three people to become more involved in the lives of people with various needs in the church.
Seeing small victories as critical steps along the way towards full inclusion will help us to keep our focus on what is most important.
It will help us not lose heart when it feels like our work is not making a difference. It will enable us to see the good and positive on a journey that can often be frustrating and exhausting.
Most importantly, seeing the importance of small victories does not minimize or take away from the greater goal of full inclusion. It keeps our focus on the vision. We recognize that each small success along the way will lead to grander goals accomplished in the future.
Celebrate and rejoice in the small victories because they are what will motivate you to continue the work towards full inclusion in the church.
Guest blogger Shannon Blosser is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church serving in Huntington, W.V. His ministry includes actively advocating for autism inclusion in the church. He regularly writes about his experience as a pastor and father of an autistic child and offers tips for the church to work towards inclusion on his blog. His ministry blog is shannonblosser.com. He is a graduate of Asbury Theological Seminary and West Virginia University. He is married to Abbi, and together they have two sons. You can contact him on Twitter @ShannonBlosser or on Facebook.
