Conversation on a Mountain Top.

[Continued from the previous post called "Mountain Peace"]

I joined the Watchman for another weekly ascent of the mountain called Spirituality, this time it was a quicker climb than the first hike. Once we reached the top, he prepared another ‘mountain dinner’ for us and we ate in silence, again. After dinner we proceeded to the peak of the mountain and sat down, with a bird’s eye view of the town below. The watchman handed me his hymnbook and asked that we sing a hymn before we continued;

O morati ea nthatang, Ea ikentseng motsoalle,

Wa pelo e tshepehang, Ngoan’eso ka sebele.

O jeso, Jeso wa ka, Wena Morwa Modimo,

Ha o mpona lefeela, O nthata keng hakalo?

Leha o le Morena, O hlompheha hakalo.

Ha o itloaetsa ‘na o mokaakang mohlolo!

Ee, pela hao, Monghadi, Dihlong dia ntshoanela,

Ha o bua, Monghadi, Tsoalo le se fele.

~Sefela #360

Dear Father, you have made yourself known to me,

With a loving heart, you have pulled me close to you.

Oh My Lord, You who stands esteemed in your holiness,

I am so little compared to you, how have I found such favour?

Even as you are the Lord Almighty, You have shown yourself to me,

Before you my Lord, I humble myself with my life at your mercy,

When you speak, please bear with me.

~Hymn 360

 

After we sang our hymn, the Watchman took a deep breath and said “I am bold, you are not yet. You are brave for coming with me, but I am Bold for bringing you along”. “I repeat, I am bold – you are brave.”

Now I was not sure what that meant so I took it literally. The Watchman is bold, I am not yet.

So it went;

I need you to stand on the edge again and look down at the people in the town below, tell me what you see…

Just as with the first time, they have happy faces on the outside but a lot of pain and heartache on the inside. It’s almost like everyone is trying their best to 'keep it together' but all in vain. There is a lot of striving, the people are trying to live a better life and it's tough...

Continue…

I also see a lot of people who are spiritually inclined or 'gifted' but not many of them want those 'gifts'. It seems like it is better for them to live a “normal” life than to carry the burden of other people’s problems? 

Look closer, tell me what you see.

It seems like we have forgotten who we are?  

Ho lefifi.

It is true that people strive every day, looking for direction, but all in vain because they’ve forgotten who they are…

So to you too, do not forsake this mountain for another, this is the highest one. hold on to the truth that after spirituality, any other mountain from there on should be easier to climb.

I hear you...

A lot of people want to get their lives ‘in order’ first before attempting to climb this mountain, others want to try other mountains before this one while the majority are buying hiking equipment every year because they want to be ‘ready’ for the hike. Be happy that you came here at your young age.

Thank you, but why would people who live so close to the mountain not climb up? Especially with you around.

Spirituality requires honesty and people are not willing to look in a mirror as big as this mountain. Once a person begins the climb, they do not return the same. People want to keep ahold of the lives they have created for themselves. Many talk about exploring spirituality, but they never do  – and that is why their lives never change because they themselves never change. 

So what is the solution then? if that is the case and it seems like an ongoing issue...

There isn't.

There isn't?

There isn't.

Why not?

Do not place your hope in people my son, they will die with your hope. Place your hope in God, at least you are assured of no death.

But why can’t we help the people, they seem like they are in need..

The people you see below are looking for a remedy that is right in front of their eyes but they cannot see it because they are not looking for it. They are looking for money to solve their problems and they are not wrong. But through spirit they would be able to see that money only helps where money is needed, for anything else? money cannot. That is why those who eventually make money still feel unfulfilled. 

So now how do we make people aware of the fact that they are looking for the right thing in the wrong place or context?

Unfortunately, you need to lead by example.

If you stand at the peak again and you were to shout down below as to what is the right path, they still will not climb, but if you climb back down, became successful and once you have a lot of money, tell them that fixing their spiritual life is the way. Only then, will people make it a priority to climb this mountain. But they will do that only because they see the money, not you nor what you have to say. 

Struggle has made people so poor that they can only see with their eyes. The Son of Man told them that a person cannot serve both Spirit and money, because one takes away from the other – do you understand now how poor they are? What people see as success right now – has nothing to do with who they are. Their identity. The Holy Spirit. God.

I guess they need help…? 

Anyone is free to climb this mountain My Son, but once someone stands on the peak, only a select few can feel so much compassion for those below that they dedicate their lives to helping them.

The journey of spirit is not for the feint-hearted, remember that people will always do whatever they desire to do. If you have hope that people will change their lives for the better, keep in mind that irrespective of what you do for them, if those very people do not desire that change for themselves, they will stay the same and that? that will break you.

This is a hard teaching.

If you going to dedicate your life to rekindling the dying flames of others, atleast know the harsh reality that comes with it. The sun rises every day for everyone, if a person wakes up earlier, they will have more hours to be productive, if they wake up later they have less hours to be productive, but the sun? it stays consistent. You should do the same.

That is not easy to do, it is difficult to ignore the urge or the feeling to help the next person even if it's evident that the person in need won't listen or change their ways. How does one just watch as the next person is struggling?

This is why I said that the reality of compassion will break you. the Son of Man told you that the one who wants to be great among people should serve the people. He himself did the same and they crucified him. Similarly if you follow the same path, it will break you too.

So the only way to help others, is to do it until it breaks you?

No. I am trying to show you the reason why those in the town below whom are spiritually gifted do not want their gifts nor the life/responsibility that comes with it. The Son of Man was telling the truth when he mentioned that whoever wants to be his disciple must deny themselves first, whoever wants to save their life will lose it. The denying of self, the losing your life, that is what will break you.

Imagine a person who has a good job, his own house, family and then one day he has a dream telling him that he is spiritually gifted and should attend to it. If his gift is to help people spiritually and he gives into it fully, forsaking his job, wife and life to 'help' people - if now those very people he helps do not listen to him or end up doing whatever they want? overtime that will deflate his initial compassion to help them, if it continues long enough the fact that he left everything to dedicate his life to people who don't want help and instead want things ..that? that will break him.

This is what I'm trying to teach you...

This is tough. 

Does God not intervene in such situations?

The person I just used in this example is how God intervenes. He sends help through people like that whom are 'gifted' or atleast willing to embrace their compassion for other people - but as you saw earlier in the town below, even those very people whom God chooses to manifest his presence through? the spiritually gifted ones? - they don't want such a life anymore. They rather be like 'other people'. 

Like you said; Ho Lefifi.

Ho lefifi kannete.

Remember, if people are content with the little bit of God they experience - let them be. But as for the one who is willing to lose their life to witness how God manifests himself within you my son, for that person? you should die for them. By that I mean, deny yourself in such a way as to allow the Holy Spirit to fully work through you, whatever the situation give into it, by so doing you will save them. That is what the Son of Man means when he says let your light(spirit) shine before others, so that those who are in the dark may come to see. 

Kganya Ngwanaka, Ka hore ho lefifi kannete.

Let us sing another hymn and I'll teach you how...

 

Lekunutung le Morena, O, Ho monate hakaakang!

Ke buisana le eena, ka mo pelong ke ikutloang.

Lekunutung le Morena Hoja nka ba teng ka mehla,

Ka mamela, ka mo boha, ka utloa ke khatholoha!

Ke kgora kgotso ya nnete, ha ke buisoa ke Ntate.

~Sefela #346

 

I’ve found a sanctuary in the Lord, How blessed I am!

He speaks and my heart is filled with his Holy Spirit,

In this sanctuary, I wish I could reside all of my days,

When he speaks, In awe I listen, My Sanctuary,

His words leave me with Revering Peace, Holy is He.

~Hymn #346

 

 

This is just a leaf from my tree, An attempt at rekindling the light within.