Weekly Words

Rock Climbing

One of the recreational activities I have introduced my son to is the sport of rock climbing. He began a few months ago soon after he had turned three, and he did rather well in the beginning. Now, six months since his first climb a very interesting and intriguing occurrence has taken place. Bryce actually has begun to become more aware of the challenge and accomplishment of making it to the top of the wall, but he is not quite as good a climber as he was six months ago. Actually, as his desire to climb has increased, his ability to climb has decreased. As I was watching him the other day, I realized why. When Bryce began, he had a sense of climbing, but was much more interested in the act of climbing itself than whether or not he reached the top. Recently, Bryce’s competitive zeal and sense of achievement has heightened and he now attacks the wall with the desire to make it to the top of the wall. However, his zeal is exactly what is hindering his progress. Bryce has formed a habit of looking up for the next rock and reaching without first finding a place to secure his feet. This means he finds himself pulling and holding his entire weight with his arms while his feet sometimes try to gain traction on a flat wall or just dangle all together. Eventually, his little three year old hands and arms get too fatigued to continue to pull him up, and exhausted, he begins his descent back down the wall. As he climbs I constantly encourage him to find places for his feet first so that he will have a foundation, but in the end where Bryce wants to be in the future takes more of his attention and effort than where Bryce needs to be to get there. (Somebody already knows where I am going and should just meet me there.)

Though many of us may not be rock climbers, we often are plagued with Bryce’s rock climbing problems in different areas of our life. So often we want things, want to go places, and want to achieve goals that consume us in such a way that we reach for our destiny without securing ourselves on the proper foundation that will sustain us as we climb. Many of us will reach for a marriage, without the foundation of a strong, supportive, Loving, and healthy relationship. Many of us will reach for a job or career path, without the foundation of the purpose and passion that is needed to sustain us through difficult and challenging times. Others of us find ourselves reaching for many desires and destinations, without the spiritual foundation that gives us the discipline, peace, and practices that will give us the energy, strength, and stamina that we need. How many spiritual leaders, athletes, celebrities and entertainers have we seen who had the gifts and talents to climb to lofty heights, but did not have the spiritual foundation to live a life that would keep them at the top? When rock climbing, Bryce needs his arms and hands to reach, but he needs his legs and feet to climb. Great climbers know the art of securing foundations. When life climbing, our gifts and talents can take us high, but without the foundation of a secure and stable spirit we will never be able to sustain our climb or climb to our highest point. We simply cannot afford to allow where we want to be in the future, to eclipse where we need to be in the present to reach our destiny and stay there. As you reach for your future and climb toward your destiny, don’t forget to secure the foundation that you will need to reach the top.

Humbly in Christ’s Love,
Pastor B.A. Jackson