I
recently finished reading Miriam Huffman Rockness’ A Passion for the
Impossible: The Life of Lilias Trotter. Lilias Trotter (1853-1928) is not as widely known as other
missionaries like Lottie Moon or Hudson Taylor. However, I first learned about Trotter
when I read a devotional book about Christian women in history. After reading
the short excerpt about her life, I was intrigued and read her Parables of
the Cross. While this book is short, it is a biblically rich work that
challenges readers to greater discipleship. Since I greatly enjoyed Trotter’s
writings, I decided to read her biography by Rockness, who is a recognized authority on
Lilias’ life. She regularly blogs about Trotter's art and writings.
A
Passion for the Impossible details Lilias’ life including her
ministry to the downtrodden in England to her mission work in Algeria. Although
she is not widely known, Lilias Trotter displayed a life
of love for her Savior and others.
Even
when she was serving at home, she was pressing the limits of what it meant to
reach others. In the culture of her era, most upper-class women volunteered their time
for social causes to balance out their easy life of comfort. However, Lilias went a
step further and kept reaching out to the downtrodden and undesirables even when it went against social standards. As
Rockness wrote in the biography, “At a time when it was unacceptable for a
young woman to be out alone in the city, Lilias fearlessly traversed the
streets to rescue these streetwalkers [prostitutes], many of whom haunted the neighborhood of
Victoria Station” (91). Her bravery in reaching out to the prostitutes of her
city shows her heart for people who needed to know about Jesus.
Later,
when she was in Algeria, she displayed a similar concern for the Muslim women
who were cloistered away in their homes. Knowing that these women needed to
hear the good news of Jesus, she had to find a creative way to gain access to these enclosed lives. Trotter soon realized that talking to the children was a way to
gain access to the women in the houses. She gained their friendship and was
able to talk about Jesus, fully aware of the severe consequences if they chose
to place faith in the Lord. Even when the way seemed impossible, she trusted
God and continued forward with a sincere love for people.
In
many ways, her work among the “streetwalkers” of London and Muslim women in
Algeria reminds me of Amy Carmichael’s ministry to the “shawlies” in Ireland who were
looked down on by others. It is no surprise then that Carmichael and Trotter
were friends, as they regularly wrote to each other. These women loved God wholeheartedly
which affected how they interacted with the people around them. For Carmichael,
this meant helping the “shawlies” and later offering refuge to children in
India who were forced into temple prostitution because of the tradition of Hinduism.
For Trotter, her love for God moved her to bring light to prostitutes on the
street and to offer hope through the gospel to Muslims in Algeria.
As
I reflect on the significance of Lilias Trotter’s life, I find that I agree
with Rockness’ evaluation of her legacy at the end of the book. Trotter did
many wonderful things in working among the people of Algiers, writing
devotional literature, and creating a book for the Sufi Mystics, called The
Sevenfold Secret, to point them to Jesus – the Way. She was also a founder
of the Algiers Mission Band, which continued the mission of spreading the
Gospel in Algiers and is now known as Arab World Ministries. However, her life
is best remembered as a life of love since “[f]rom the little street urchin of
the slums of Algiers to the most sophisticated statesman of the faith, Lilias
loved with a love that showed no partiality” (Rockness 328).
Her
love for God and others made her contributions more meaningful. If she had
merely painted beautiful landscapes in watercolor or written Arabic parables
for the sake of being famous or acknowledged for her skill, then these
contributions would not have been as impactful. Because love was her motivation,
her impact continues through her published works, where readers can learn about
her love for her Savior and her concern for the Arab world.
Knowing
that her main legacy was based on love provides an important lesson that is
reflected in Scripture. If we do not have love, then nothing we do really
matters. The Apostle Paul described it this way,
If
I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding
gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all
mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but
do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give
over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain
nothing.
(1
Corinthians 13:1-3, NIV).
Even
if we have the greatest gifts and set out to do the greatest good in the world
around us, it means nothing if we do not have love. When we love God with all
our hearts, mind, soul, and strength, then we will love others as ourselves (Mark
12:30-31 ). Anyone who does not love their neighbor cannot claim to love God (1
John 4:20).
Lilias Trotter served the Lord and left an inspiring example, but the driving force behind her service was love for her Savior and love for others in wanting them to know Him. If we want to use our talents and resources for Christ’s glory and to help others know Him, then the most important thing to remember is to grow in our love for God and allow that love for Him to drive us toward greater love for others.
Works
Cited
Rockness, Miriam Huffman.
A Passion for the Impossible: The Life of Lilias Trotter. Lilias Trotter
Legacy, 2021.
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