Jim Elliot is perhaps the most well-known missionary martyr of the 20th century, and his biography (Through Gates of Splendor) has inspired thousands of Christians to live with an eternal perspective and follow Jesus more wholeheartedly. At the moment I’m reading Shadow of the Almighty, written by his wife Elisabeth a few years after his death, in which she shares lengthy excerpts from his journals and letters that give a deep insight into his inner life. It’s an inspiring and challenging read, and I highly recommend it.
I recently came across an fascinating passage from one of his journal entries from when he was just 22 years old, where he wrote about the impact on his own spiritual growth that came from reading biographies of Christians from the past.
In particular, he mentions reading from the posthumously published diaries of David Brainerd, a missionary to Native Americans who died at the age of 29. In his journal entry on October 24, 1949, he wrote:
“I see the value of Christian biography tonight, as I have been reading Brainerd’s Diary much today. It stirs me up much to pray and wonder at my nonchalance while I have not power from God. I have considered Hebrews 13:7 just now, regarding the remembrance of certain ones who spoke the word of God: “consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.”
I recall now the challenge of Goforth’s ‘Life‘ and ‘By My Spirit‘, read in the summer of 1947, the encouragement of Hudson Taylor’s ‘Spiritual Secret’, and ‘The Growth of a Soul’. There are incidents which instruct me now from the reading of J. G. Paton’s biography, read last winter. And now this fresh Spirit-quickened history of Brainerd. O Lord, let me be granted grace to “imitate their faith.”
As I read his journal entry I couldn’t help thinking of the irony – I’m being encouraged reading about Jim Elliot being encouraged reading about missionaries who had gone before him!
Or to think that even as Jim wrote these words in his journal, he had no idea that a biography of his own short life would be published less than a decade later, chronicling his life and death in the Amazon jungle that would inspire countless thousands after him (including me).
“Deepened My Hunger”
I came across a similar entry on the value of Christian biography from the diary of Elisabeth Elliot in January 1951:
“Since I last wrote I have read the biography of Frances Ridley Havergal. It did what other Christian biographies have done – deepened my hunger for knowing Christ in his fullness, for living wholly unto him who died for us. I am impressed always upon reading of someone who lived a holy life, with the reflection: what would be written of me, were I to die today? God alone knows how very, very little I know of true holiness, Christlikeness, and Calvary love.”
Clearly for both Jim & Elisabeth, reading Christian biography was a rich source of encouragement, inspiration, and challenge. And that’s certainly been the case in my own life as well. So if it’s not something you do already, let me strongly encourage you to get into reading Christian biographies for yourself!
If you don’t know where to start, you can order Through Gates of Splendor right now – or you can even get it as an audiobook (for free if you’re new to audible!) to listen to while you commute or exercise.
I guarantee you’ll be glad you did.
