Other-minded.

This is William Wilberforce,
A member of England's Parliament.

When he was in the midst of
Fighting for the
Abolition of the slave trade,

John Wesley wrote him a letter of encouragement
That made history:

London, February 26, 1791
Dear Sir:

Unless the divine power has raise you up...
I see not how you can go through
Your glorious enterprise,
In opposing that execrable villainy,

Which is the scandal of religion,
Of Englad,
And of human nature.

Unless God has raised you up
For this very thing,
You will be worn out by
Opposition of men and evils.

But ''if God be for you,
Who can be against you?''
Are all of them stronger than God?

O ''be not weary in well doint!''
Go on,
In the name of God
And in the power of His might,
Till even American slavery
(the vilest that ever saw the sun)
Shall vanish away before it...

That He who has guided you
From your youth up,
May continue to
Strenghtne you in this
And all things,
Is the pray of,

Your affectionate servant,
J. Wesley
*

Four days later,
Wesley died at the age of eighty-eight,
Yet his influence in Wilberforce's life continued for years.

Wilberforce didn't succeed in convincing Parliament
To abolish slavery at that time,
But he didn't give up the fight.

He kept at it for decades
Despite slander and threats.

And when he thought he couldn't go on,
He looked to Wesley's letter for
Encourgement.

Finally in 1807,
The slave trade was abolished.
In 1833,
Few months after Wilberforce's death,
Slavery was outlawed in all of the British Empire.

*

Maybe there's a William Wilberforce in your life,
Just waiting to be nurtured to
Greatness.

The only way you'll ever know is to
Become a Nurturer
Who is mindful of others

And adds value to the
People you meet.

[John C. Maxwell]

*