There’s a story told about Sir Edmund Hillary, who was the first person (along with Tenzing Norgay) to reach the top of Mount Everest.

It happened on his third try. On Hillary’s previous attempt he not only failed to reach the summit, but his team also lost one of its members.

After their failed attempt, Hillary spoke to an audience about the experience. Behind him on the platform was a huge photograph of Everest. Hillary turned toward the photograph and said, “Mount Everest, you have defeated us. But I will return. And I will defeat you. Because you cannot get any bigger … and I can.”

When it comes to facing mountains, do you know how we ‘get bigger’? It starts with faith. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20)

Edmund Hillary became “bigger than Everest” through better planning, more detailed research, greater teamwork, and tenacious perseverance. And it started with faith — the faith that this mountain could be conquered.

No doubt you’re facing a mountain or two today: a mountain of debt, a mountain of fear, a mountain of uncertainty. Mountains don’t move without determined effort, thoughtful planning, or courageous perseverance.  And these things all begin with faith. It is faith that gives you what it takes to attempt something bigger than you. Not faith in yourself, but faith in the God for whom nothing is impossible, faith in the God who has called each of us to greatness. — SM

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Windows 7 is now available. I haven’t quite figured out their numbering system, because my machine still uses Windows 98. Does this mean they’ve taken 91 steps backward? Regardless, Microsoft is aggressively marketing Windows 7 these days.

One campaign seen in NFL games involves summarizing each game in seven words. (Because it’s Windows 7) Near the end of each game, the announcers make a seven-word summary, something along the lines of: Seattle led early. Cardinals ruled second half.

Or: Ravens’ defense shuts out struggling Browns offense.

Or: Bill Belicheck must have lost his mind.

It’s amazing how accurately you can summarize a game in seven words.

Do you want to sum up the life of a Christian disciple in seven words? Here it is.

“He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30)

John the Baptist captured the essence of what it means to be a follower of Christ: He is to become greater; I am to become less. John’s purpose was to pave the way for the coming of the Messiah. There is a sense in which your job and your purpose is to do the same thing. Especially at Christmastime.

This is such a wonderful time of the year, but it’s hectic. It’s easy for some to get lost in the pace to the extent that they miss the beauty and simplicity of the Christmas message. Our job is like John the Baptist’s. We have the opportunity to prepare the way for the Lord, to make a straight path for him so that others can experience his presence.

Maybe the Christmas season could be summarized with the words: “It’s not about me. It’s about Jesus.” In the coming weeks, I encourage you to look for opportunities in which you can step aside and let the message of Jesus take the spotlight in your life. —SM

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This memo was adapted from a sermon in Steve May’s new series, Mending Christmas.
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I received a brochure a while back from a company specializing in “resilient furniture”: simple, sturdy, water resistant tables and chairs — not fancy in any way, but built to last. They’re not cheap either; a plain white folding chair is about $60. They’re not as pretty as the office chairs I buy at Sam’s for about the same price, but those chairs, as I am reminded every time I have to replace one, don’t have a long life-span.

There’s something to be said for basic, unadorned resiliency—the ability to get through, get over, and thrive after trauma, trials and tribulations. In this sense, sturdy beats stylish every time.

USA Weekend did a cover story a few years ago on the subject of resiliency, asking the question, “Why do some people bounce and others break?” The article noted how some people who experience trauma withdraw into a shell, while others facing the same crisis not only bounce back, but bounce back stronger than ever before. It talked about how resiliency is being studied in universities and taught in corporate seminars. Resiliency, the article said, could become the most important skill of the 21st century.

Why do some people break down while others bounce back? Unlike furniture, I don’t think it has to do with our design. A chair can only be as strong as it was made to be; it can’t decide to be more resilient or less resilient. We, on the other hand, have access to support beyond ourselves.

Our “design” — our emotional make-up resulting from parental and societal influences — can be overcome. A person who is naturally weak and easily discouraged doesn’t have to stay that way.

There’s a verse in Philippians that is so often quoted its meaning is sometimes overlooked. Paul is talking about being able to face hard times as well as good times, and he states confidently, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13)

Resilience often comes down to a decision: whose strength will I draw from — my own, or God’s? One of the wonderful truths of the gospel message is that if you will look to God for strength, he will give it to you.

I lift up my eyes to the hills — where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. (Psalm 121:1-2)

Albert Einstein said, “Once a day, allow yourself the freedom to dream.”

I don’t know what Einstein dreamed about; I guess his life’s work and the contributions he made to physics gives a clue.

If you were devote time each day to the task of dreaming, what would you dream about? A better family life? A closer walk with God? A larger congregation? A more secure financial situation? What are your dreams?

When we dream, we allow ourselves to see beyond the ugliness of now. When we dream, we allow ourselves to explore the possibilities of what could happen, how things could become.

We know the words of Jesus. “I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20)

Mustard-seed faith — which is actually mountain moving faith — starts with a dream, an idea of what could be. You don’t have to stay stuck in a rut forever. The first step to changing your situation is to allow yourself to dream.

Try it. Once a day (at least once a day), take some time to get alone with God, think about your life, your ministry, your family, your health, your happiness, and allow yourself to imagine how things could be.

In November 1930 The Chicago Examiner reported the story of Harry Havens, who went to bed and stayed there for seven years, with a blindfold over his eyes, because he was angry at his wife.

Havens had always tried to be a good husband. He worked around the house, took care of the yard, carried out the trash, and even helped with the dishes. One day his wife complained that he wasn’t doing it right, and Harry decided that enough was enough. He said, “All right, if that’s how you feel, I’m going to bed. I’ll stay there for the rest of my life and I don’t want to see you ever again.”

Harry went to bed, put a blindfold over his eyes, and stayed there. He finally got up again when the bed started to feel uncomfortable … seven years later.

The article’s headline states, “Man Spites His Wife By Staying Blindfolded in Bed Seven Years.” Maybe his exile did get on her nerves somewhat, but who did Harry really spite? Who was the biggest loser in this extended temper tantrum? It was Harry himself. He lost seven years of his life. He lived seven years in darkness. No reading. No walks in the sunshine. No laughter with friends. Just seven long, miserable years trying to settle a score that was, most likely, never settled.

The writer of Hebrews said…

See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. (Hebrews 12:15)

Bitterness can damage a relationship, true. Most of all, it damages you. It destroys your happiness and peace of mind, and it causes you to miss out on the grace that God offers to each of us.

It reminds me of what Nelson Mandela once said: “Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.”

It took Harry Havens seven years to decide that his refuge of bitterness felt uncomfortable. How long will you wait to let your bitterness go?