Thought for the Day, 18 May 2006

The Rev. Joel Edwards

I've figured out why our children rush to our daily newspapers with the speed of a tranquilised tortoise. So much of our news can be depressingly hard work.

Yesterday's news was no exception. Guns out of control; immigration gone haywire; water in short supply; celebrities separating.

Then I was gripped by an unusual photograph of man on a snow capped mountain walking on what I thought was a pair of broomsticks and poking at the snow. And then the caption told me what I was really seeing. "Man With No Legs Conquers Everest" it said.

Two days ago Mark Inglis a 47 year old from New Zealand, became the first double amputee to stand on the top of the world. Those of us who reach the top of the stairs sounding like a decommissioned train should stand in awe. But even more impressive was the fact that having lost both legs to frostbite 20 years ago, he overcame his fears to try again! As Thomas Carlyle said, 'the first duty for a man is still that of subduing Fear.'

Frankly I have absolutely no wish to climb Everest. I find mountains look so much better from the window seat of a 747. But Mark's mountain story refreshed me with the emotional space to wade through the valley of information we call 'the news'. In the mayhem of what it means to be alive in the world this was like a silent pause in which to reflect.

"Whatever things are lovely, whatever things are true, whatever things are of good report, think on these things" said the Apostle Paul.

Mark's achievement said a lot to me. Such stories do not appear in social vacuums. We make them happen. Our courage can rekindle a sense of awe in the awfulness of life.

And it reminded me too, that people who create these stories, often do so at great personal cost. Mark described his climb as expletively hard!

Christians believe in the grace of God which makes up for our inadequacies and which has the power to flow from our dysfunctional lives to benefit others. And surely nothing should satisfy us more than the recognition that God has given to each of us today the ability - indeed the responsibility - to give someone else the space to remember what it feels like to be really on top of things!