John C. Maxwell - Learning from the Giants: Life and Leadership Lessons from the Bible

Its a few minutes before dawnmy favorite time of dayand my home is completely silent. I meet you at my front door and welcome you in. Together we walk down the long hallway and enter my study.

I glance at my desk. The most recent outline for a lesson that Ive been working on sits there partly finished, a stack of quote cards next to it. It will require at most only another hour of my time. I leave it alone. I will work on it tomorrow. Today we are going to experience something Ive been looking forward to for months. Today we will be mentored by some of the giants of the faith. I dont know who will be coming. I only know that in a few minutes they will begin arriving, one by one, and spend a few minutes with us sharing their wisdom.

My sense of anticipation is off the charts. This is going to be a spectacular day. Together we will learn from people who have experienced moments with God that changed their livesand this has the potential to change ours. I am so glad you have decided to join me.

We look outside and we can see that the sun is peeking its head above the horizon and turning the sky above the Atlantic Ocean different shades of pink, orange, and red. Its glorious. I move toward my favorite overstuffed armchair, where I often sit to pray and think. Its surrounded by some of my favorite things: a photograph of my father and me teaching together when he was ninety, the handful of books that have made the greatest impact on my life, and several favorite items from my John Wesley collection.

The view of the ocean is spectacular. I invite you to settle in beside me in the comfortable chair that matches my own. A third chair, positioned across from us, is empty. We sit silently, wondering who will be the first to arrive and meet with us.

We dont have to wait long.

We can hear someone walking up the hallway, the sound of leather soles gently treading on the stone floor. And then hes standing in the doorwaya bald man neither young nor old. He wears a plain tunic with a leather belt. On his shoulders rests a camel-hair cloak. We can see that, near the neck, there is an odd-shaped tear in the cloak that shows signs of having been repaired. The mans expression is intense, serious. I wonder who this might be.