I was reading an interesting National Geographic Adventure article last night, an interview with someone who leads extreme adventures for a New Zealand firm, namely, expeditions to summit Mt. Everest. They cost about $70,000 per client, and for sure, it’s an intense experience. One thing he mentioned in the interview is that he only wants people that will listen. He asks them, “If we are ten meters from the summit, and you can see the top, but I tell you that we have to turn around and go back, will you do it?” You see, he doesn’t want anybody to compromise the safety of the team just for that last, final goal.
I think I’m like that. If I was the client, I’d be inclined to say, “No way! We’re that close! I’ll never be here again…” At the same time, I’m totally a “Safety-first” kind of guy. So it’s this tension between accomplishment and caution.
The guy goes on to say that it’s gotta be about the journey, not the goal. Too often, I think I get stuck in the trap of feeling like I’ve got to get somewhere, and forget that I’ve just got to be where I am. I think following God can lend itself to a “where am I going and when am I going to get there?” attitude, when oftentimes God is concerned with the state of our heart and our ongoing relationship with Him. Success isn’t always in whether or not the goal was accomplished (although it can be), but it’s in how you got there. Or, as the cliche says, “It’s not whether you win or lose, but how you played the game.”
No related posts.
amen
when i left for my trip to cape town, i kept thinking “i want a cool story to tell when i get back.” and what that unconsciously meant was that i wanted results to talk about. but at the end of our intense, whirlwind trip, i realized that it was about journeying with God in obedience.
I totally relate, J. I’ve been learning that it’s very freeing to just “be”–and uncomfortable. Hey–your entry sounds like an excellent illustration for your next sermon.