I like to walk. I enjoy it. Flat is good, undulations are OK, and mountains are still on my list, despite my age. The climb to a mountain top can be daunting but the views keep me coming back. Most walkers recognise the feeling we get when we aim for a peak, only to discover as we reach it that there's a higher summit still to come. That's how I felt when I tackled Kinder Scout in the Derbyshire 'High Peak' area. Kinder Scout isn't very high. At 636 metres (2087 feet) it's scarcely big enough to be called a mountain, but it has huge historical significance in Britain. This was the place where, in 1932, a crowd of ramblers staged a "mass trespass", facing down a bunch of armed gamekeepers. Their bravery led to legal changes that opened up the countryside to ordinary people. The knowledge of that event drew me there.
Tough
The lower slopes aren't especially
steep, but they can feel relentless. As I climbed, Kinder's long ridge was hidden from view but, passing
through another stile, I saw the steep slope of the "Swine's Back" at one end of the looming ridge, and I
rather hoped that the path would skirt around it. I noticed a shallower slope up to the ridge, but the
path didn't go that way. It led straight up the steeper peak (now I knew why they called it the Swine's
Back). I told myself "This is gonna be tough!"', but as I got closer, I was relieved to find a flight
of steps cut into the rock face. Whoever built those steps - thank you! NOTE 1
Worth
As I started to climb, the phrase
"one step at a time" came into my head. That's a lesson for life. Steps don't make hills less steep, but
they make climbing more achievable. The phrase was a reminder of my spiritual journey. Being a Christian
means accepting God's free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, but it's much more than that. It means
becoming one of his close followers, his disciples, which can involve some difficult pathways. In his
"Sermon on the mount", Jesus said, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the
road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that
leads to life, and only a few find it." NOTE 2 It's a familiar saying, but climbing was a good context to recall it!
Being a disciple of Christ doesn't guarantee us an easy life, but it does offer the chance to experience great
beauty. It's not an easy pathway, but it's worth every effort.
Strength
Christians are not called to leap
into instant sainthood, but we are called to follow the way of righteousness. No matter how determined we may be,
this is a lifetime journey. We make mistakes. We come across challenges that we fear may overwhelm us. We
encounter doubts, fears, and temptations. We come across false disciples who say the right words but don't
follow up with right actions. We meet weaker folk who need our help to make the journey. We face doubts and
discouragements. But there's always a source of strength to take the next step - and each step counts.
Ultimate
The way of righteousness is often
challenging but, in the words of John Bunyan's old hymn, "no discouragement will make me once relent" my "first
avowed intent to be a pilgrim" NOTE 3. I'll keep pressing onwards, but I don't expect to reach the ultimate goal in
one bound. I'll take it one step at a time.
