What makes a person truly great? Is it only what they've done? Their work and accomplishments? Perhaps, as Eric Metaxas discusses in his newest volume
7 Men and the Secret of Their Greatness, it's often what they don't do that makes them worthy of remembrance.
For instance, when the newly founded United States wanted to make George Washington it's new king, he refused, or Jackie Robinson, one of the most talented baseball players of his time, surrendered his right to fight back against racists, or when Chuck Colson volunteered to go to prison when he didn't have to. These men and the four more who are profiled--Eric Liddell, John Paul II, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and William Wilberforce, all lived their lives for a greater purpose, laying down their comfort and ambitions to follow what they believed was right.
In 7 Men you'll learn more about these remarkable men and the faith that drove each of them. In a day when character often takes a backseat, their stories will enrich your life, and show you what's possible when one person chooses to follow the path of humility.
Unabridged MP3-CD; approximately 7 hours 42 minutes; 1 MP3-CD; performed by Tom Parks.
What makes a great man great? Seven Men offers answers in the captivating stories of some of the greatest men who have ever lived. In this gallery of greatness, seven historical figures come to life as real people who experienced struggles and challenges that probably would have destroyed the resolve of most other men. What was their secret? How did George Washington resist the temptation to become the first king of America, and why did William Wilberforce give up the chance to be prime minister of England? What made Eric Liddell cast aside an almost certain Olympic gold medal? What enabled Jackie Robinson to surrender his right to fight back against racists, or Dietrich Bonhoeffer to jeopardize his freedom and safety to defy the Nazis? What gave John Paul II the ability to identify with the most helpless members of human society and even to forgive the man who tried to murder him? And why would Chuck Colson volunteer to go to prison when he didn’t have to? The seven men in this compelling volume evince one particular quality: that of surrendering themselves to a higher purpose, of giving something away that they might have kept. Having heroes and role models was always tremendously important for society, but in the last few decades this has changed, with seriously troubling results. Eric Metaxas says it’s time to reverse the trend. With vitality and warmth, the New York Times bestselling author restores to the listener a sense of the heroic — the idea that certain lives are worthy of emulation. Get to know these seven men, and your life will be immeasurably richer.
Eric Metaxas is the author of New York Times #1 bestseller and ECPA Book of the Year Bonhoeffer, the bestseller Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery, and more than thirty other books. He is currently the voice of BreakPoint, a radio commentary broadcast on 1,400 radio outlets with an audience of 8 million. Metaxas was the keynote speaker at the 2012 National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, DC, and was awarded the Canterbury Medal in 2011 by the Becket Fund for Religious Freedom. Metaxas has written for VeggieTales, Chuck Colson, and the New York Times. He currently lives in New York with his wife and daughter.
