For several years into her twenties, Gladys Aylward served as a housemaid in North London. It seemed this was all there was for her in life. Then, while doing some reading, she started learning about China. Missionaries were needed to work there. And she felt concerned. Miss Aylward’s initial reaction was to look for someone she could convince to go to China. She did not picture herself taking up the task – Perhaps because she felt she was unqualified for it. Then a desire came into her heart to travel to China herself and make a difference in that country. With minimal education, little prospect of speaking Chinese – and no organization willing to sponsor her – Gladys worked hard to scramble enough money and start her journey to China in October 1930. The events that unfolded on her way to China and her accomplishments while in there were so remarkable that 20th Century Fox could not resist the urge to make a movie out of it. The film The Inn of the Sixth Happiness was released in 1958. And it featured the late Swedish-born actress Ingrid Bergman.
Not everyone will wake up with a dream to go to China like Gladys Aylward did. However, we all need to wake up the dreams in our hearts! A good question to ask is “Why would you want to settle for anything less than your God-given potential could enable you to accomplish?” Sometimes people who are doing well tend to settle for good when better is attainable. And many good-minded people fail to make their good intentions count – because their potential is locked in. In the book Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers, Josiah Hotchkiss quoted the philosopher Henry David Thoreau who said, “Be not simply good; be good for something!” I think this word of challenge is still relevant for today.
We all need to be courageous. We need brave hearts, like Miss Aylward had. I hope her story inspires you to break free from limitations and break into your new opportunity for progress. Your heart needs to be brave enough to recognize an opportunity for progress – even when odds are stacked up against you.
(From the book Attain, Retain & Train by Uche Nweke)
