This past week I had finished the book and wanted to give an over view of what I thought about it.
I think overall it was a very inspiring book. Hearing stories about a lot of people that I had never really learned about growing up. I noticed throughout the book that each of the seven men had a unique purpose for their life, that whether through childhood or a 'mountain top' experience the goals that they had in life and the talents that they were given called them to a certain God glorifying task.
All of them seemed destined to take on the task that they took on. Reading about them now, it is easy to see this fact and the amazing way in which God used people that seemingly would have never put their talents and the goals of Christ together. I am sure that at the time each person did not know what they were going to do, but there is an overwhelming theme in the book of perseverance, each of these men faced troubles and hardships at one time or another and each of them made it through by grace and perseverance, holding their ground as Eric Liddell did on a seemingly minute issue, but this issue drastically affected his long term ideas of what God should encompass in our lives, our whole life. I think God is mysterious in the way he puts us together, that we have talents and ambition for things in this world but ultimately they can be used in very real ways to glorify God. I am not saying that all these men were able to accomplish all these things for God but it was by faith that they were able to be successful, to preserver and ultimately use their gifts effectively.
This book has made me think about my own gifts and talents, but more importantly it has made me really focus on faith and perseverance, two words that I think have lost power in this side of the world. I have been wrestling with how to live by faith and how to manage my life now that I am a independent adult. It is almost like being thrust into a game where you do not know anyone, or the rules of the game. I should have studied up.
I think being a great man takes sacrifice and effort. I realize now how easy it is to become laid back
to let life pass us by with out really experiencing anything, without investing. we are here for a short time and I have to remember that God has called each of us to be great men and women of the faith. and that it takes faith to do that, that is all. a believe that Christ died for the world and rose again on the third day.
