Lazy days & analogical hikes

It has been a lazy day full off Man vs. Wild and Planet Earth and various poolside pocasts. It has been so nice though since i know that tomorrow i'm going to dive head first into the job hunt. Or else the med-study-lab-rat hunt. Hmmm....might it be the perfect time to get paid to be person they are speaking of when they say "May cause side-effects including nausea, diarrhea, dry-mouth etc etc.."? Anyway.

I came across this analogy of Christianity on facebook, and I thought it was really a really clever and beautiful way to describe it. I know it isn't an original thought but sometimes we all need a good, encouraging story to penetrate our minds. After all, why do you think Jesus spoke in parables? Here goes:

Imagine that you and I are standing at the head of a trail. Both of us have never hiked this particular mountain before.

I say "I wonder what's at the end. Let's hike the path and see what we find."You say "How do we even know there's anything there? We should look for a sign that something is there before we waste time and effort hiking this trail."

Meanwhile, many people are milling about, some have returned from walking on the trail, and others have yet to hike it. Still others have started down the path but found it difficult - giving up before they reached the end. The comments that we hear are varied. From the trail-walkers, we hear about how beautiful the scenery is along the way, but how it all pales in comparison to the experience of being at the summit.

Those who are still milling around the trail-head say "Look at the rocks, and the briers; the thorns and wild animals. It would be foolish to go. No one can tell us exactly what lies at the end - how do we know that anything is actually there? I'm not going to expend time, effort, sweat, and tears on this climb only to find that there's no payoff."

Still others - those who have returned without reaching the end are reacting in various states. Some are despondent, tearful that they were unable to complete the journey, and racked with disappointment. Another group is livid, screaming that they walked for miles without seeing a single pretty leaf or cute squirrel, let alone the incomparable experience of the summit.

Finally, I pull out a trail guide - written by the very first hikers ever to climb this particular mountain. It's old, tattered - not nearly as cool looking as some of the other trail guides that people have - none of the glossy maps or step by step footholds for the climb up. Rather, it's written more as a story - those from a large group that set out on this climb. Not only does it tell of those who kept hiking, it tells of those who stopped, those who waited, and those who never started. It never promises that the climb is easy, nor quick - but it does promise that it's worth it.

Now, I've left on my hike, but I'm not too far ahead...do you dare run to catch up with me? Or will you forever stay at the trail-head, and never try to see from the summit firsthand?