From The Pastor’s Pen – By Brian Horrobin
The late missionary pioneer, Elisabeth Elliot, when talking about love, once said, “The measure of our love is the measure of our willingness to be inconvenienced.”
If there is anyone who knew this truth it was this great lady.
Back in December of 1986, I attended a missions conference for university students at the University of Illinois.
Almost 20,000 university students from all over the United States, Canada, and other nations had gathered to hear speakers and attend seminars all aimed at encouraging those who desired to go on the mission field.
Although I chose the path of pastoral ministry, I also went on a summer missions trip the following year and what I learned at that conference changed the course of my life forever.
Elisabeth Elliot’s message was the one that stood out the most for me, even more so than that of Dr. Billy Graham.
Elliot shared about her romance with Jim Elliot, how she, deeply in love with him, nevertheless turned down his request for marriage because she felt the Lord leading her to a different mission field than the one he was headed to for his service.
Amazingly, five years later in a sudden turn of events, the two dedicated Christians were reunited and got married.
They joined with four other missionary couples to reach out to a remote indigenous tribe in eastern Ecuador.
Tragically, head-hunters from this tribe speared the five husbands to death, not understanding initially their message of Christ’s love for them.
But here is where Elisabeth Elliot’s devotion for Christ and love for these people passed the test.
This courageous widow, along with her three-year-old daughter (who was only 10 months old at the time of her father’s death), returned two years later to this remote tribe, along with Rachel Saint, the widow of one of the other four missionaries who were killed.
Together they shared the message of the love of Christ with the very men who wielded those deadly spears!
I don’t know about you, but this action is way more than just inconvenience, it is sacrifice.
Ask yourself today, “What inconveniences am I willing to go through to show Christ’s love to someone?”
Elisabeth Elliot is proof that love knows no bounds!
