Karl Marx, the Father of Marxist philosophy, died in 1833
and was buried in London’s Highgate cemetery.
In 1954 the Communist Party of Great Britain had the present tombstone
erected at his grave featuring a bust of the deceased leader. Etched into the stone of the marker are these
familiar words of Marx, “The philosophers have only interpreted the world in
various ways; the point is to change it.’’
Without a doubt, Marx changed the world. At one point of the twentieth century about
twenty four nations were ruled by the communist doctrine Marx propagated. He changed the world politically and
economically. Marx certainly hasn’t been
the only world changer.Charles Darwin changed the world scientifically and philosophically with the 1859 debut of his Origin of the Species. Albert Einstein changed the world technologically and even militarily with the development of his Theory of Relativity. Alexander Graham Bell changed the world communicationally with the introduction of the telephone in 1876. Orville and Wilbur, the Wright Brothers, changed the world transportationally with a short twelve second flight in 1903. More recently Steve Jobs and Bill Gates changed the world technologically with advances in both hardware and software.
Most would agree the world needs changing. Terrorist bombings, school shootings, rampant abortion, endless wars, human trafficking and a host of other ills serve as almost daily reminders of just how much the world needs changing.
Many have changed the world in positive and not so positive ways. Those who faithfully follow Jesus are destined to be world changers as well. Jesus told us that we have no alternative but to change the world. ‘’All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you’’ (Matt. 28: 18-19 HCSB).
We who are Christians are a changed people who are to be changing the world for Christ. A serious and yet complimentary charge was leveled against Paul and Silas, ‘’These men who have turned the world upside down have come here too’’ was the allegation registered by the Thessalonians (Acts 17: 6 HCSB). Truth is that Paul and his associates were turning the world right side up rather than upside down. The change we witness in someone’s life when they come to Christ is real to the bone. ‘’Therefore if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come’’ (2 Cor. 5: 17 HCSB).
Real world changers change the world by getting people ready
for the next world. Others may have
changed the world politically, economically, scientifically, technologically,
communicationally or transportationally but we can change the world eternally. Now that’s change we can believe in!
This post originally appeared as a column in The Daily Press
