Higher Ground

Gaining perspective comes at a cost. Typically it means getting to higher ground. Small minded managers put their heads down and clear low-lying swamps. Visionaries climb hills, gains perspective, and say, “hey, that’s the wrong swamp!”

Higher ground mostly is harder ground.   Once gained, easier to hold.  But to get it?   Effort, courage, sacrifice--all the stuff that separates out good folks from great folks.   We're called to greatness.   So I listen and walk up, best I know how.

Today was spent in part climbing up through gloriously green forests, listening.  memorizing John 17.  Tucking away new perspectives from Jesus’ own lips.  He was certainly locked into a march of obedience up a steep Calvary hill in that chapter and beyond.   He had to hang on to his Father like this tree to its rock.

Just as Eskimos have many words for snow, folks here in the Lake District have many for green. Jesus had many words for growth: abiding in him, eating him as living Bread, following him as Good Shepherd, obeying him as Lord.

I’m aware that as I spend a lot of time listening to him—thru scripture memory, podcasts, spoken books stored on my phone, prayer—that if I don’t listen with a view toward obedience, my listening is delusional. I begin to hear things very clearly that are not so.

As I listen with an eye forward toward Obedience Pasture, with the sheep below, then commandments become songs that I actually like to sing. “And it came to pass that as he went he received his sight….”