“MEN AND WOMEN ARE CONTENT WITH THE WORLD OF THE VALLEYS, BUT THE CHRISTIAN MUST CLIMB OUT OF THE COMMON PLACE ; HE MUST . . .”
AFTER many years of great effort and even loss of life, the world’s highest mountain was finally conquered. Two men stood, tired but triumphant, on the pinnacle of Mount Everest.
How was this feat accomplished? It is true that during the final ascent only the two men were involved. What is frequently overlooked is the prior training, organisation and team-work that placed those two in a position to realise their ambition.
One writer, himself a climber, has pointed out that on dizzy mountain tracks the teamwork is vitally important. The really mighty heights are not scaled by individuals, but by parties. In this, every member of the party is vital to every other . . . no man lives to himself! As the ascent grows steeper, the climbers rope themselves together for greater effectiveness and safety.
The spiritual counterpart is self-evident for is not every believer a climber, a pilgrim journeying to Mount Zion? Are we not all so travelling with others of like outlook and aspiration? To them we look for help and succour on the way.
The Apostle Paul puts it that those who are members of the Body of Christ are one with Him. Yet, they are so very different in ability and activity. As the body natural has many parts, each vital to the smooth running of the whole, so also in the body spiritual. We are to recognise diversity in gifts and temperament, unselfishly to “give”, not counting the cost.
There is a passage in Bunyan’s “Pilgrim’s Progress” that is so very pertinent. It comes at a time when the timorous “Mr. Feeble-Mind” explains why it is that he wants only his own company and not that of fellow-believers. To the thorough-going Christian, Mr. “Great-Heart”, he says :-
“Alas I want a suitable companion : you are all lusty and strong ; but I , as you see, am weak : I choose therefore to come behind, lest by reason of my many infirmities, I should be both a burden to myself and to you. I am, as I said, a man of weak and feeble mind, and shall be offended and made weak at what others can bear. I shall like no laughing : I shall like no gay attire : I shall like no unprofitable questions. Nay, I am so weak a man, as to be offended with that which others have a liberty to do. I do not know all the truth : I am a very ignorant Christian man : sometimes, if I hear some rejoice in the Lord, it troubles me because I cannot do so too. It is with me, as it is with a weak man among the strong . . .so that I know not what to do.
But, brother, said Mr. Great-Heart, I have it in commission to ‘comfort the feeble-minded’ and to ‘support the weak’. You must needs go along with us : we will wait for you : we will lend you our help ; we will deny ourselves of some things, both opinionative and practical, for your sake ; we will not enter into ‘doubtful disputations’ before you ; we will be ‘made all things’ to you, rather than you shall be left behind”.
The attitude of “Mr. Great-Heart” is typical of the finest spirit in the brotherhood ; of those who have to give and hold it not back. His is the outlook desired by the Apostle Paul when, in Romans 14. 21 ,he said : “It is good neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine nor anything whereby thy brother stumbleth or is offended or is made weak”, and, later, “We, then, that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not himself ; but, as it is written, the reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.”
We have our “Mr. Great-Hearts” and our “Mr. Feeble-Minds” in the ecclesia. Our need and duty is to provide avenues of activity in the communal life which will lead to growth in Christ for all believers. Particularly in regard to those whom we may think of as “beak”, it is often the easy way out to be condemning in our attitude. Our methods of personally lifting the common standards of behaviour should be carefully examined. It is widely recognised that the best way of instruction is by practical example—doing what is right, come what may. As it is perfectly illustrated in the life of Christ, holy living, in itself, condemns sin. Which, of course, doesn’t mean that there is not to be a time to “Cry aloud, spare not . . .” in the face of militant evil, but that our motives and justification should be scrutinised before we take such a course of action.
Remember, too, that whilst we may think of ourselves as “strong” and our brother as “weak”, the day of trial oft-times reveals it differently. We do have a clear witness in the case of a saintly brother or sister who radiates the light of a close walk with Christ, but only few are so “self-revealing”. What we are, in fact, before God is known to Him alone, for He sees the unseen aspirations of heart and mind : which should make us beware lest we, who might think we stand, should fall.
Returning to our thought concerning mountaineering. Those who have scaled any sort of a height will remember that, in following the best path to the top, we have at times to descend, or take an easy stretch, before going higher. It has been pointed out that the greatest number of accidents occur on these “easier” stages. The following are some comments made on the reminiscences of a mountaineer : “The astonishing fact is that the vast majority of alpine fatalities occur on the easy tracks. The steep and narrow passes where the brain reels, where the foot-hold is precarious, and where then poise of the body is difficult, clamour loudly for special care.”
Spiritual Stagnation
The Christian learns this lesson from life.Easy times make us loosen our guard. Today, subtle influences are at work—”toleration” by the world, ease and common luxury can so readily bring spiritual stagnation.
The same lesson applies as we consider the life-span of the believer. In the beginnings of the new life, when the Truth is fresh, when the Name we bear means so very much, we are on our guard : quick to stand up for the Faith : anxious to be “up-and doing”. It might well be that in later years we are more advanced on an intellectual plane, but increased knowledge brings greater responsibility, which sometimes is not shouldered. There is a direct appreciation of the quotation regarding easy paths : “The easy tracks have a peril of their own . . although we regard youth as the essential period of moral peril, the most disastrous collapses have been on the part of men and women in middle life.”
That may well be our danger, if we are at any stage of “middle-life” of service to God, and that covers a period shortly after baptism and onward. At a time when we may be supremely confident in our knowledge of the Word, there may be the danger of over-familiarity with the Truth and our lives may become “over-extended”. Full to the brim with success in business life, or with plenty of money coming in, we may also be using a great deal of private time actively in the ecclesia. Or, conversely, we may still be struggling to gain position in the world, utilising all our energies in this direction. In either case we can be “over-extending” our lives.
By this I mean what the prophet Isaiah expresses in the following picture-language. “Enlarge the place of thy tent and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitation spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes” (Isaiah 54. 2).
Those who have pitched a tent will observe the aptness of these words. If we want a bigger tent, we must have longer ropes and we must knock the stakes in very deeply, else the whole erection will collapse.
Times Of Refreshing
From the time of baptism to the end of our course we need continual “revival” and critical self-examination. The more active in world and ecclesial affairs we become, the need is there for regular prayer and meditation. As we are reminded frequently at the Breaking of Bread meeting, the Lord in His wisdom has provided this time of refreshing. This hour of memory must be no mere formal act of observance, but one of quiet meditation and stock-taking.
When we are away from the community, in the private family circle or in the world, there is great need for continuing our development. We have the example of Jesus, who sought solitude with his Father,who “went up into a mountain apart to pray.” In our noisy, bustling world the precious quiet moments are all too few, and we have to make time to ascend in thought to God.
Many of us live in large cities, where the very noise is a continual strain. I remember hearing a panel of prominent thinkers who voted “noise” as the greatest curse of modern civilisation. How true. Our world is full of the noise of motor vehicles, machinery, radio and the like, which adds up to a continual din for many hours of the day. But there is still opportunity for all of us to take advantage of quiet moments . . .yet we so easily let them slip away. We read that newspaper too avidly and the clamour of the world is maintained in the mind : we let the frustrations of the day’s work eat into our thinking : or we leave the radio on too long, and spiritual duties go undone. And now we have in our society what could be the most formidable challenge to the welfare of the brotherhood, the television set. Examine our lives and we can see how much time is frittered away.
Men and women generally today are content with the world of the valleys, but the Christian must climb out of the commonplace ; he must climb mountains. These are obstacles to be overcome, essential to full development : because the path to the Kingdom is over hill and valley . . . because from the mountain heights he can get the best view of the Way ahead.
What a pleasure it is for those sound in wind and limb to climb up a hill I It’s an achievement with a satisfaction all of its own. We survey the country around, and the breeze blows away cobwebs of daily frustrations. It is good for us to enjoy God’s country side . . . as long as our visits are not made an excuse to escape from ecclesial obligations —and that sometimes happens.
From a hill-top we can gauge some of King David’s feelings when, as he viewed other evidence of God’s handiwork, he exclaimed, “What is man that Thou art mindful of him ?” If in the right frame of mind, we can get a better perspective on the problems of daily life. When we have climbed a large eminence, we can look down and we see that which, not so long previously, had been large—and now it is so small.
We may not have opportunity to make frequent trips to the hill-top to clear our minds. We can, however, sort out so many of our day-to-day problems if we view them in meditative moments, in those quiet times spent with God. It doesn’t need our physical presence on a mountain to get close to God . . . rather the quiet uplift of thoughts to Him.
The challenge of the heights comes to each of us. It demands of us whether or not we are faithful to our vows : putting God first in our lives. Not our private family, not home, not work, but God first I It asks—do we care for those for whom Christ cares ? So we strengthen ourselves by quiet withdrawal to be with God and His Word. So we exercise our lives in the way that really matters !
God’s laws were given on the hill-top. Moses received the Law on Mount Horeb : the bulk of our commandments came to us from Jesus as he stood on Mount Olivet : and we must elevate our minds if we are to receive these lofty instructions. Let the knowledge which our vision in the Heights imparts cause us to press forward strongly towards the Kingdom that will endure and we shall be with our Lord on Mount Zion. Our consciences will be stirred, to bring better things into our lives, as we quietly wait before the Lord, considering both the question and answer of King David :-
“Who shall ascend into the hill of God? or who shall stand in his holy place ? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart ; who hath not lifted up his sword unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation.” (Psalm 24. 3,5).
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One