(reflections on Hannah More)

Daily disciplines in life are essential. The most influential people in history were not overnight sensations. Years of work and faithful perseverance led to opportunities, which led to more opportunities, which eventually led to what these notable people are remembered for. Opportunities are like steppingstones across a pond; you need to take each step to cross to the other side. Each stone leads to the next, which eventually gets you to new realities unseen.

Romans 5 speaks of this steppingstone approach, “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Character is built by the way we persevere through suffering, yet it is not just a one-time act. Daily disciplines to choose perseverance leads to positive character development. The character we build throughout this process prepares us for bigger steps and greater challenges.

Hannah More was an amazing writer in the Victorian era. She started with a simple love for writing, which grew into a desire to teach and share ideas through her writing. Her talents as a writer were naturally given, then honed by hard work, dedication, and training from those who recognized the gift within her. Primarily, she wrote plays, moralistic stories, and essays for the masses, which were well received and loved.

As Hannah grew in renown, she rose in the social spheres, which gave her new opportunities to share her writing and stories like never before. She met influential people and leaned in with curiosity to learn and engage in meaningful conversation. Each yes to experiences and opportunities led to new challenges. Life was not easy going and perfect during her period of growth and fame. Setbacks, painful trials of friendships, and broken relationships were a part of her life, too.

We can never know all Hannah thought about and experienced in her life; those feelings can only be known by her and God. However, we can note her character at the end of those sufferings. The character she is remembered for is a woman who stands for justice to support abolishing slavery, someone who sees beyond the majority and empathizes with the suffering of others (e.g. educating those seen as outcasts), and despite barriers she continued to work hard pursuing truth and sharing that truth with the world.

Hannah More reminds me a little bit of Esther. Esther was given beauty as a gift from God, which led her to be chosen by a king. After she was chosen, new challenges arose beyond anything she had previously encountered. Esther continued to step forward in courageous leadership and her obedience led to protection of the Jewish people. Nobody knows the exact direction God is leading their life, we are bound to be surprised every once and again. While there may be things we aim for, Hannah reminds future generations to keep preserving, learning, and stepping forward in line with how God calls us to act in the “small” decisions. Our character dictates reactions when the stakes are high. God’s character reminds me that even if our actions impact one life, God considers the one life worth it all.