Reaching Base Camp

"My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT)

The summit of Mt. Everest is about 29,000 feet. Those who attempt to climb to the summit must first make it to base camp, which is about 17,000 feet high.  Just getting to this level takes a lot of effort. Once here, climbers usually camp out for a few days to acclimatize themselves to the altitude. Even though they may have conquered other mountains, trained intensely, and outfitted themselves with the latest climbing gear--they know they are weak compared to the immensity of the task ahead.

A life of faith is similar to climbing a mountain. When we realize our vulnerability, we have merely reached base camp. We need to acclimatize ourselves to this paradigm of powerlessness before attempting to move higher. As we camp out at the foothills, we get to observe other climbers. We learn that admitting our helplessness is just the preliminary step--even this takes a great deal of humility and suffering. Yet, this important step makes us ready to follow our Guide up the mountain. We must submit, before we can attempt to summit. The climb to the peak of faith is arduous, but neither our weaknesses nor our circumstances faze us. We are ready to face the probability of injury, as well as the possibility of death. We are trusting in a power greater than our abilities and higher than the mountain.

“None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us.” (Romans 8:37 MSG)

Protective Shells

“He who would search for pearls must dive below.” (John Dryden)

Pearls are formed inside shells of certain mollusks as a defense mechanism. I know several people who are like pearls. They are naturally guarded and prefer to stay in their shell. Their luminescence is often hidden. In rare moments of security, they reveal themselves--expressing their beauty, strength, and iridescent personalities. I used to bemoan the fact that these people were not always open and expressive. Now I understand that this is how they were created. The shell is their safe hiding place. Too much exposure, stimulation, or attention can make them feel vulnerable.

One must wait for these pearls to reveal themselves in their own timing, and also to let them go back to their safe shells after short bouts of exposure. Their subtle, inner beauty is worth the wait. However, one must still plunge below the surface to discover them and admire them in their natural habitat. So I have learned to dive into the depths and to hold my breath--while I search for pearls.

Responding to Riots

For the last few months, the media has been awash with reports of racial tension between African Americans living in low-income areas and the police. The protests, riots, and looting that follow after each of these crises remind us that racial profiling, poverty, unemployment, and socio-economic segregation fuel hopelessness, fear, and resentment. And much like a toddler having a tantrum, young people release their frustration in ways that call negative attention to themselves and their parents. Riots and looting are never justified--these events always reinforce prejudicial stereotypes and increase agitation. Violence solves nothing; it only serves to further polarize groups along racial, economic, and political lines.

I don’t have any viable solutions to these huge problems. I have opinions, but sharing them will probably just add to the turbulence. We all respond to these issues in different ways: Some ignore it and are thankful they live far away from the tension. Others air their opinions on social media. I have been going back and forth between inner turmoil and prayer.

Lord, we have made a big mess. We don’t know how to clean it up. Please help. Restore humanity to your intended purposes.

Ignoring Alarms

“They heard the alarm but ignored it, so the responsibility is theirs. If they had listened to the warning, they could have saved their lives.” (Ezekiel 33:5 NLT)

We snooze through morning alarms, ignore low fuel lights on cars, disable chirping smoke alarms, and unplug weather radios that wake us up in the middle of the night. We don’t take these alarms seriously, until we have experienced the negative consequences of doing so. If we lost our job due to routine tardiness, or ran out of gas in the middle of nowhere, or lost a loved one in a house fire or tornado--we would subsequently learn to pay attention to these alarms.

What are the alarms that we routinely ignore?

My concerns for others come to mind: some are neglectful of their health; others are excessive in their spending; many live without much forethought beyond earthly desires. It’s easier to notice the negligence of others rather than my own laxness. I cannot make another person pay attention to his/her alarms; all I can do is heed warnings that apply to my own behavior.

What are the warning signs that you are ignoring in your own life?

Familiar Roads

“And how blessed all those in whom you live, whose lives become roads you travel; They wind through lonesome valleys, come upon brooks,  discover cool springs and pools brimming with rain!” (Psalm 84:5-6 MSG)

I’m another year older. I feel more emotionally stable now than I was a decade ago.  There are several reasons for this sense of equilibrium:

1. Experience has taught me that God is dependable, even when things turn out differently than my expectations.
2. I know others who have gone through horrific situations and have been restored to stability.
3. I have good friends whom I can depend on to redirect me when I'm off-track. I can hear God speaking into my life through their wisdom.

When our days are intertwined with God’s sphere of influence, we feel more secure.  It’s like driving through a familiar neighborhood on a dark, stormy, winter night. Whether we run out of gas, have a flat tire, or get stuck in a ditch--we know where to go for help and whom we can trust.  We have a sense of assurance that, eventually, everything that matters will be alright.

“O LORD who rules over all, how blessed are those who trust in you!” (Psalm 84:12 NET)

Broken

“My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.” (Psalm 51:17 NIV)

My friend, Mary, loves horses. I like horses as long as there is a fence between them and me. I don’t know much about horses. Mary, on the other hand, has learned a lot about these animals by taking care of them. Mary’s heart goes out to any horse that needs care. She used to buy horses, not to ride them, but just to care for them. A few years ago, she bought a new horse and told me that it was already ‘broken.’ I imagined that she had bought an injured horse because she felt sorry for it. She laughed and explained that a ‘broken’ horse was a good thing; it meant that the horse was trainable.

Pain, disappointment, and betrayal can make us feel broken. Yet, this brokenness can make us more malleable, humble, and trainable. When we are yielded and devoted to God, we become more useful. Those of us who are already broken and in training can mentor those who have experienced pain more recently. We are able to empathize and lift them up to God who revives the brokenhearted.

“The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” (Psalm 34:18 NLT)

Unstuck

“He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.” (Psalm 40:2 NLT)

I saw the following scenario on a TV show: A bomb explodes and one of the bystanders gets impaled with a long piece of metal.  The injured guy is filled with fear, and he can hardly move. He asks others to pull this object out of his chest. One of them, a doctor, cautions against this, explaining that this metal is plugging up the injured man’s wound and preventing him from bleeding to death. He convinces the injured man to stay calm and wait patiently for a skilled surgeon.

When a loved one is wounded, immobilized, or stuck, our natural instinct is to do whatever we can to get them out of that situation. We hate to see the panic in their eyes, the pain and discomfort, the helplessness. We want to do something instead of just standing by. Little do we know that we could injure them further in our attempts to get them unstuck. Their present condition may be uncomfortable and awkward, but it could be worse. Being stuck but stable may be safer than spiralling downward. Although it may feel counter-intuitive, the best approach is to wait patiently for God to handle the situation. He is skilled at helping those who are wounded and stuck. Our role is to help those who are injured to stay calm and wait for the Lord.