Life Is Like.... Climbing a Mountain

We watched the movie Everest this weekend, and I have become more than a little obsessed with this story.  After finishing the movie, I promptly downloaded Jon Krakauer’s book Into Thin Air to dig deeper into his account of what happened on the mountain.  It’s a story of triumph and tragedy set in a location that is both awe inspiring and terrifying.


As I’ve thought about this story and what motivated each of the team members, I believe that there are a lot of parallels between the journey that these mountain climbers undertook and the journey that we are on as Christians.

1. Everyone on the climbing team had set their eyes firmly on the prize – the summit of Mount Everest.  They were single minded in their goal.  They were determined to succeed – even though the pain they experienced on the mountain was almost unbearable at times.  They refused to stop short of the summit – even when conventional wisdom said it was time to turn back.  As Christians, we need to have that same single-minded focus as we live our lives from day to day.  Paul said it like this:  “I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me… Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”  (Philippians 3:12-14)
    
2. Most of the team members were not experienced high altitude mountain climbers.  I was surprised to learn that most of the people on the Adventure Consultants team had little to no experience climbing at high altitudes.  They just showed up with a desire to climb the mountain, a willingness to learn, and the humility to admit that they needed help.  We often believe that we can’t even attempt to do something for God – whether big or small – until we’re “fully qualified” (whatever that means J ).  However, as the old saying goes – “God doesn’t need your ability.  He just needs your availability.”  You can see it throughout the New Testament as Jesus chooses His disciples.  You can see it in the Old Testament when God anoints David to be King of Israel.  God didn’t choose the most qualified men and women.  He was looking on the heart.  You don’t need a resume full of accomplishments before you can do something for God.  You just need to take a step of obedience and have a heart that is willing and teachable.
    
3. Experienced climbers mentored the less experienced team members.  While most of the team members were inexperienced, their guides and Sherpas were extremely experienced, many having summited Everest at least once in the past.  The leaders knew what to expect.  They knew the potential dangers, and they knew what it would take to be successful.  The inexperienced members of the team were paired with the experienced members of the team.  They watched what the experienced climbers did – how they prepared their gear; where they placed their feet; when they rested; what tools they used.  The newbies and the experts climbed together starting with shorter distances and lower altitudes and working up to longer distances at higher altitudes.  The newbies watched and learned and then practiced multiple times over many weeks before they finally attempted that final climb to the summit.  In my mind, this process provides us with a perfect microcosm of what Christian discipleship should be.  The more experienced come alongside the less experienced.  The mentor leads the way while the disciple watches and learns until eventually the disciple takes off on their own while the mentor is there to support and guide until finally the disciple becomes the mentor to a new disciple and the process starts all over again.  The inexperienced climbers would never have made the summit without being “discipled” by the team leaders.  It seems to me that it is equally tough for brand new believers to persevere on their Christian journey without the benefit of someone who is willing to disciple them along the way.  In fact, Jesus commanded us to make disciples in Matthew 28:19-20:  “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
    
4. The terrain was rough and unsteady.  When the climbers began their ascent from the Everest base camp, they had to climb across an ice field – an expanse of glacial ice that was constantly shifting and cracking and setting off small avalanches of ice chunks.  It was constantly changing, and the climbers didn’t know what to expect from day to day.  While God doesn’t require most of us to walk across a glacier, he does require us to live in this world, and that’s not always easy.  Leaders change; rules change; culture changes. We don’t always know what to expect.  When he calls us to step out and follow him, the path isn’t always smooth.  We need to stay alert and take things one step at a time.
    
5. The trail was full of obstacles and fraught with danger.  For the climbers who were able to persevere and make it across the ice field, there were still challenges ahead.  Fresh snow made it difficult to see crevices in the ice when traversing a ledge.  And, when there wasn’t a ledge, climbers were clutching sheer rock walls tens of thousands of feet in the air.  On top of that, they were climbing to heights that mimic the cruising altitude of a jet plane where the oxygen is almost too thin to breathe.  If that wasn’t enough, the cold and the wind and the snow were brutal on the body.  It took strength and courage to keep going.  When faced with obstacles and plagued by fear, we need to remember the words of Joshua (1:9):  “Be strong and courageous!  Do not be afraid or discouraged.  For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
    
6. Someone went before the team and marked the trail.  The challenges mentioned above were pretty daunting. But here’s the good news:  the guides and Sherpas had gone before the team and mapped out the course.  They had put up fixed ropes that showed the climbers the “safe” path and gave them something to hold on and help them along the way.  They had stashed supplies and oxygen at various points along the trail so that the climbers could replenish their supplies if needed.  The work done by the climbers who went ahead of them is what allowed these unskilled men and women to make this climb.  It’s the same for us as Christians.  Psalm 119:105 says, “Your Word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.”  The Bible gives us guard rails to protect us and to help us stay on the right path.  It serves as a rope to help us pull ourselves up when the footing is unsteady or the next step is unsure.  It refreshes us when we feel like our strength is almost gone.  We may be walking into what feels like uncharted territory as we step out in faith to do something new for God, but in reality, He has already walked that road and marked the path for us.
    
7. Everyone had to work together in order to reach the top.  While there are a few extraordinary men and women who have summited Mount Everest on their own, the advent of guided expeditions like the ones run by Adventure Consultants is what has made it possible for the “masses” to attempt the mountain.  It’s a grueling journey at best, and it’s almost impossible for the individual trekker.  However, this story highlights the sense of community that is fostered among the hikers who gather at the Everest Base Camp each year.  In particular, the team in this story, who started the journey as a group of random strangers, became a tight-knit unit working together to achieve a goal.  It’s the same for us as Christians.  God never meant for us to attempt this journey alone.
    
8. The team members were willing to risk it all to gain the summit. Ultimately, if you want to do something great, so you have to be willing to risk it all.  There are no guarantees in this life.  God is calling all of us out of our comfort zones to do something great for Him.  It’s scary.  It’s intimidating. It’s exciting.  It’s fulfilling.  Ultimately, risk requires faith – faith that God is in control and that His plan is greater than your plan – faith that He has all of the resources needed for you to reach the goal – faith that He has gone before you and marked the path and set the ropes that will guide you along the way. 
    
    
   What is God calling you to do?  The first step is always the hardest.  Will you take it today?