10/31/2025
I think you will enjoy this post.
I love my books. I’ve been a book hound most of my life. Bookstores, yard sales, thrift stores, and used bookstores were like treasure hunts for me.
Some of the greatest books I’ve ever found came from times I invested in the most obscure places.
From the time I was a little boy, I loved to read. You might not remember or even know these titles, but at a very early age, I read books like Orphan Annie and Smiling Jack.
Before I started school, my Aunt Arkie bought me a large family Bible from a traveling Bible salesman. Though I couldn’t read it at the time, I asked her to read it to me, and then I would sit and look at the pictures. By the way, I still have that Bible.
As I grew older, I came across a partial set of books about Abraham Lincoln and read them over and over again.
Another man I loved reading about was Ben Franklin. His life, his experiences, and the part he played in the founding of our country made him a fascinating read.
The book I’m highlighting in this post is The Ben Franklin Factor. In it, the author highlights some of the qualities that made Mr. Franklin so successful.
Before mentioning the one trait that stood out to me, let me note that Franklin was a remarkably successful man—printer, editor, writer, philosopher, soldier, scientist, statesman, diplomat, and businessman.
The one trait that made him especially successful was that he was a great persuader. He wasn’t a particularly handsome man, nor was he an impressive public speaker, but one-on-one, he was a master of persuasion.
As I read this, I couldn’t help but connect it with evangelism, church growth, and the need for great persuaders in the work of the Kingdom.
This is something we can all learn—and if necessary, develop: becoming effective Kingdom persuaders, winning people one-on-one to be born again.
Would you like me to make it slightly more conversational (for a social media post), or keep it in this reflective storytelling tone (for a blog or teaching piece)
