When Ben Patterson agreed to join three friends climbing Mount Lyell, the highest point in Yosemite National Park, he did not realize what he was signing up for. Early in the day, it became clear that he was completely unprepared for the task. In an effort to keep up with his more experienced friends, Ben took a shortcut. It did not occur to him that there might be a reason the others had not selected this route, but he soon found out why. Ben became stuck on the glacier. He could not move up, down or sideways and one wrong move would send him sliding down a forty-five-degree slope to the valley floor miles below. That is when one of his friends came to the rescue.
His buddy leaned over the edge and carved some footholds in the ice. He told Ben to step to the first foothold and immediately swing his other foot to the second, then his buddy would pull him to safety. Lastly, his friend gave him one more piece of advice. He said, “When you step across, do not lean into the mountain! If anything, lean out a little. Otherwise, your feet may slip, and you will go down!”
The last thing Ben wanted to do was to lean away from the mountain! He wanted nothing more than to hug the mountain and be as close as possible to it. However, his friend had more experience, and he was trustworthy. Taking a deep breath, Ben leaned back, used the footholds, grabbed his buddy’s hand and made it to safety.
Leaning away from the mountain was counterintuitive, but it was the right thing to do.
Sometimes, the right answer seems wrong. For example, “Love your enemies” (Matthew 5:44) and “Turn the other cheek” (Matthew 5:39) go against everything our human nature would have us do. However, retaliation only causes more pain and misery. A different, less obvious approach is needed.
Ben Patterson was saved because he listened to his friend’s odd-sounding instructions.
To whom are you listening?
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
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