A Lesson in Skiing

   I stood on the mountain looking down the last half of the slope, and I knew I had made a mistake. Swain Resort in New York had a different definition of the “easiest” slopes than Massanutten in Virginia. The steep drop-off in front of me brought back the fear I felt last year, right before I tried a slope too hard, lost control, and crashed. Now, looking down, I prayed, “Lord, help me! How do I do this?! I don’t know how to do this!!” But I had to go down, so finally, I just did it. With almost no control, I barreled down the mountain. Multiple times I nearly crashed into groups of people. Anyone near me must have heard me yelling, “Help! Help! Help!” 

  Having made it to the bottom in one piece, I decided to ask someone how I should handle that hill the next time. “You really should get a lesson” she said. It made sense. How would I ever get better at skiing without someone teaching me? So, I signed up. The next time I went up the lift, my instructor went with me. I told him all about my crash last year and he said, “I’m going to help you get your confidence back.” 

  We began to work our way down the slope. Among all the other things my instructor, Nathan, told me, two things stood out. First, he said, “If you get out of control, I’ll speed up and catch you,” and secondly he said, “all you have to do is follow me.” So, I followed. I watched his tracks, focused, and made my skis do the same things as his. Partway down the slope we found two of my friends who were also stuck, not knowing how to get down, and both of them began to follow in my tracks. 

  Through all my focus and concentration, three words suddenly dropped into my heart: “I need instruction.” They played over and over in my mind…”I need instruction.” For the first time I understood something I’ve never understood before. That as a detail-oriented person, and even just as a human being, I need detailed directions in extreme sports, in life, in business… but mostly, I need instruction in my walk with the Lord. How should I live as a Christian? What does God want me to do today? How does He want me to do it? What does He want my life to look like? 

  The Proverbs have much to say about instruction. They tell us, “Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.” (Pr. 4:13) “Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.” (Pr. 8:33) “Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.” (Pr. 23:23) 

  Yet, so many times I’ve thought I didn’t need help. I’ve thought that I could figure it out, that “I’ve got this”, that I could just wing it. “How I have hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof; and have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me.” (Pr. 5:12-13)

 

  If you think about it, Jesus is the ultimate Ski Instructor on the slope of life. He says “Follow Me,” and like my trusty instructor, He “is able to keep you from falling.” (Jude 1:24) An added blessing of following His instruction, is that when we follow in His tracks, other Christians and those who don’t know the Lord yet are able to safely follow us, like my friends did on the slope. (Song of Sol. 1:8) 

  As I finished my ski day, I took the slope one last time, all by myself. I slowly wound my way  back and forth across the mountain, like I’d been taught. I wouldn’t allow myself to be afraid anymore. I knew I was up to the challenge. As I neared the end of the slope, I heard my friend Christian cheering for me, “Whoo-hoo! That’s right! You got it!” 

     “When the conflict here is ended

      And our race on earth is run

      He will say, if we are faithful

      Welcome home, My child, well done!” 

         -from “Little is Much When God is in It”

             by Kittie L. Suffield

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally.” - Jm. 1:15