Climbing Ladders

I climb ladders for a living. Many, many ladders. As I climb, I wave to others climbing similar or different types. Some ladders are tall and rickety, leaning against a wall I'm unsure of. Others are rigid steel and sure-footed, comfortable to climb.

I've fallen off a few and walked under some rather than climbing at all. We are all climbing life's ladders and each one has an end. They're leaning against a wall or ending up in the sky.

Let's be careful which ladders we climb. Perhaps we may want to look further up the steps to consider the wall it's leaning against or where it leads. Some may have to stop and climb back down. They may have either forgotten something to bring with them or they were afraid of its height. Here are some of my ladders.

In my youth, I climbed stepladders with little help. They were easy to climb, but they often led nowhere. They were ladders of popularity at school, fitting in, knowing the music and styles of every rung. It was a creaky, disappointing ladder. I climbed down that one and I left that job unfinished.

I found a different ladder in my teens. It was a shiny silver one with strong rungs leaning against a seemingly solid wall. I climbed quickly to see what was up there. Along the climb I ran into some barbed wire, Beer, whiskey, cigarettes and pretty girls were climbing a similar ladder beside me. I kept going; it seemed endless. I loved that ladder.

Proverbs 23:29-35

Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? 30 Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine. 31 Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! 32 In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper. 33 Your eyes will see strange sights, and your mind will imagine confusing things. 34 You will be like one sleeping on the high seas, lying on top of the rigging. 35 "They hit me," you will say, but I'm not hurt! They beat me, but I don't feel it! When will I wake up so I can find another drink?

Fortunately, I fell a few times and time allowed me to heal. I looked around to find more stable ladders; less exciting and somewhat boring. After I healed from my fall they released me from prison. I was ready to find different ladders in the world. In the penitentiary I found a small selection. The poor choices were obvious. I watched others continuously falling again and again. Sometimes they'd even climb the ones that had a danger sign attached to its lower rungs.

That was when I walked under or around a few ladders. I Wasn't sure if I wanted to climb ladders anymore. Maybe I'd just stay still, walk around a bit and think.

While doing so, I noticed an old ladder in the corner. It seemed like solid wood, but a little narrow, and it soared to Great Heights. So high, in fact, that I couldn't quite make out the wall it was leaning against.

*Leaning on the everlasting arms*

There weren't many people climbing that one while the others seemed full and more popular. That's odd, I thought. There must be wonderful rewards at the top of the busy ladders. The people seemed happy with how easily they could climb. Then I remembered falling from one of them and how seriously injured I was.

I paused my walk again, and I looked back at the old wooden ladder. As narrow as it was, it seemed pretty sturdy. I decided to try it out, maybe just a few rungs. So, I geared up and started a few steps. I noticed immediately that it didn't flex or bend at all, so I climbed a little higher. It seemed safe to me. I noticed words written on the wall it leaned against. They seemed to be words of encouragement to keep me climbing. So I went on.

I stayed on that ladder. The higher I climbed, the wider it got, and I marvelled to find other climbers on the same ladder. We talked about the climb and I learned that they also noticed and read the words on the wall. After a while it became easier to climb. Sometimes when I got tired, another climber would help me and I would hear words from above cheering me on. I would often see some other ladders filled with people climbing. They seemed to struggle and be weary, with nobody helping each other. Unfortunately, I saw a lot of accidents as people fell from their unstable perches. I remembered my fall. I looked away and kept climbing mine.

New International Version Proverbs 14:12

There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.

Eventually, I stopped paying attention to the writing on the wall. I had gotten tired of climbing and I just stood still. Some other climbers tried to get me going again while others climbed around me. One day I almost fell asleep. I was dreaming about the other fancy ladders and how wide they were. I missed the other ladders. As I drifted off, my hands let loose of their hold and I fell.

King James Bible Matthew 7:27

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

I didn't realize how high I'd climbed until I hit the ground. I was badly injured and unconscious for a while. When I came to, I was back where I'd started. A room full of ladders. I looked around and saw a crowd of people walking around ladders. I cried. I knew the ladders they were choosing.

Luke 19:41-44

41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.

The danger sign ladders were full and the shiny steel ones had a big line up. Those were the money and success ladders. I stood up slowly and looked at my ladder in the corner. It was still empty except for a few weary looking folks like myself. I walked over slowly to them and introduced myself. Hi, I'm Dennis I came from the ladders of alcohol, drugs, and worldly lusts. They asked me what this Old Rugged ladder was like. I told them about the writing I read on the way up. It said that this was the ladder to life eternal life in this person Jesus Christ. Believe me I said, It's not the easiest to climb at first but it is by far the best.

I started climbing again and brought a few with me. This time I paid more attention to the writing and remembered all the words of encouragement. My heart felt warm and safe. I remembered when I fell and how sad it made me. I shared that story with the others so they wouldn't climb the same way and fall as I had.

Today I'm a confident climber. I know my ladder step by step and I learn from every rung. I meet lots of other climbers who have been further up and climb back down to help me out. I know there are some who have already reached the top. I'm curious to meet them one day. I still enjoy the climb. My ladder is steady and firm. Sometimes I think about the others on their various ladders. I've learned to pray for them from the writing on my wall.

Today I'm glad my ladder leans on a solid rock wall. The Cornerstone of the building. Unfortunately rejected by the others.

Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?