One of the greatest missionaries in the history of the church was Mary Slessor, although she started out as a most unlikely candidate. Because of her father’s drinking problem, eleven-year-old Mary was working twelve-hour shifts in the mills, assisting her family in paying their bills. She discovered she could prop books on her loom as she worked. While she read about the land of Calabar (modern Nigeria), Mary grew convinced she should go there as a missionary. In 1876, she sailed for West Africa aboard the S.S. Ethiopia, which, ironically, was loaded with hundreds of barrels of whiskey. Remembering how alcohol had harmed her family, she said, ‘Scores of barrels of whiskey, and only one missionary.’ But what a missionary! Mary was a combination of circuit preacher, nanny, nurse, village teacher, and negotiator who alone transformed three pagan regions by preaching the gospel. She deflected tribal wars and rescued women and children by the hundreds. For forty years she toiled as God enabled her. God loves to use people the world overlooks or discards. Mary Slessor was one of them. So was Paul. ‘He…appointed me to serve him, even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief. Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus’ (vv. 12-14 NLT). The God who used the apostle and Mary Slessor can use you too – if you surrender your life to Him.
