On the way to the summit.

I was reading a story a few days ago about climbing Mt. Everest. This is an incredible accomplishment for anyone who is brave enough to try it. The human body isn't designed to handle living at that altitude. Once you reach a certain point along the way, you literally start to die. Your internal organs begin to shut down. In an attempt to save them the body pulls blood from the extremities like the fingers, toes and nose and sends to the vital organs. That's how frostbite happens. The body is trying to stay alive.

Many people have climbed Everest over the years. Many have succeeded, many have failed, many have lost their lives. I never really thought about it but when you die on Everest you stay on Everest.

The mountain is littered with bodies.

What a horrible view for anyone trying to summit the mountain. To look around and see the white, sun bleached, frozen bodies of those who failed to do what you are attempting.

The cold nights and reality set in quick on Everest.

A few weeks ago I read where Mark Inglis the first double amputee made it to the summit! What a glorious feat! The world celebrated this incredible human being and his determination to make it to the top of the world's highest mountain. His drive was incredible! Nothing could stop him...not even a dying man.

His expedition was nearing one of the final legs of the ascent when they saw climber David Sharp tucked in a nook of the mountain, alive, nearly frozen to death but still alive.

Mark Inglis made it to the summit and returned home. David Sharp is still on Everest.

I'm not going to make a moral judgement here, I know how I feel about it. But I'm writing this to make an analogy of our Christian walk. Our expedition to the summit.

Is our climb to the top so important that we would leave someone, who is dying spiritually, behind while we press on? Would Jesus?

Or would He stop and help, even if it meant that His journey would be delayed a minute, an hour or even a day.

Don't let the way to Jesus be strewn with the bodies of those who couldn't make it on their own.