By Charlie "Tremendous" Jones

All our lives we encounter persuaders. Those who were successful are largely responsible for the way we are. Because some of us are exposed to some positive persuaders we are drawn to become positive persuaders. I believe all successful persuaders are a result of having been successfully persuaded at some time in their lives.
What a strange world it would be if there were no persuaders. Life is one continuous series of persuasions. At home it is the parent persuading the child, the child persuading the parent, the salesman persuading the prospect, the lawyer persuading the jury, the boy persuading the girl or the politician persuading his constituency. And on and on.

The persuader isn't restricted to a certain personality. You can be a persuader through the pen like Thomas Jefferson or fiery oratory like Patrick Henry. You may be a persuader through diplomacy like Daniel Webster or in great wisdom like Lincoln. You may be a persuader through humor like Will Rogers or silence like Gandhi. There is no end to the different techniques and temperaments possessed by great persuaders.

The motive of the persuader is not limited to good causes either. There is the Hitler who appeals to national pride and supremacy or the Mother Theresa who appeals to forsake everything and serve all. There is the Castro who promises freedom and plenty and delivers slavery and the opportunity to survive or escape in a boat. It sometimes appears that the persuaders for evil outnumber the good, but that is because the persuaders for good causes are usually in the background and do not seek the spotlight. The evil persuader usually draws attention to himself while the persuader for good draws attention to his cause.

Think about your persuaders. Check your heroes. For example, Tom Paine was a hero to many with his "Age Of Reason." My reaction was different to his writing because I had thought through the inconsistencies that annoyed him and never needed to judge Jesus Christ by the failures of his followers. Do not blame your disillusionment on others. It is usually yourself who creates the illusions that precedes your disillusionment.

One of the greatest examples of the power of persuasion in one life is the Apostle Paul. He writes in II Timothy, "I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day." It takes great persuasion for one of the most learned, successful men of the day to do a complete about face and commit his whole life to serving one who previously had been the object of Paul's persecutions and executions. And even though Paul was totally persuaded for his own life, and was one of the most powerful personalities of the day, he had his failures in the art of persuasion too. After his great presentation of the Grace of God, and his personal experience with Jesus Christ, King Agrippa responded, "Almost thou persuadeth me to be a Christian" (Acts 26:28).

To be a persuader you must be persuaded and in order to continue to grow we must practice the art of persuasion. The old saying, "Nothing succeeds like Success," fits the persuader perfectly. The earlier in life you begin, the fuller your life will become. It is only in sharing and giving that we realize what we have, and we can give nothing better than persuading others to worthwhile goals, right motives and eternal values.
I think it is safe to say that sometimes in our lives we will be persuaded and become positive persuaders seeking to give and share, or we'll not be persuaded and spend the rest of our lives waiting for a break, taking and keeping.

As you read biographies of Great Persuaders, my hope and prayer for you is that you will think with them, crystallize your purpose and join the great persuaders in the crusade. Persuade those in your sphere of influence, to read more, think more, share more, love more, give more, work more, work smarter. Because I can assure you if you don't the people who might have done more, will do less. Life doesn't stand still.

I'm grateful for every opportunity to share my thoughts on persuasion. While I do not count myself a great persuader, I am one of the most thankful persuaders. In 1950 I met a great persuader who, like the Apostle Paul, shared some Bible verses with me; but I like King Agrippa, was ALMOST persuaded. Later that day, alone in my car, I settled life's most important question, "What will I live my life for?" Immediately upon my commitment to Jesus Christ I was given a Sunday School class of pre-teen boys to persuade. Because of this experience I became a more enthusiastic persuader in my sales work and public speaking. I had experienced being persuaded and at once had a much bigger and brighter picture of everything.

I hope these thoughts on persuasion have increased your awareness of the great privilege and obligation of the persuader. The world needs one more positive persuader. Is it you?