This is the thirty-ninth of a weekly blog series that will focus on leadership in the outdoors and how to get the most from the least. Even though the title is called, “Thoughts of a Modern-Day Mountain Man”, it will hopefully cover topics that are useful to everyone.
Chapter 39: Creation holds all of the answers.
Creation Speaks.
Creation speaks for all to hear,
the words, signs and wonders everywhere.
If the truth is what you seek,
then know where it can be found,
the sky, the mountains, God's hallowed ground.
The problems man has made since time began,
the fault lies not with His design or plan.
Dear reader frame the questions and ask them well,
we may try to change the answer, but to no avail.
With His hands the mountains were formed,
the plains, the seas and all the seasons’ storms.
With rain and sun, wind and calm, every purposeful change,
ask the animals and they will show you who truly Reigns.
From the biggest bear to the smallest bird,
all work together to truly show His word.
Clockwork design of the universe,
speaks more than any textbook verse.
Observe and become part of the grand design,
all the answers you seek, you will find.
-M.D.M.M.
In times of stress or uncertainty our human nature tends to lead us to several responses or coping mechanisms. One of these responses is to look to others for guidance and leadership, which is where a competent and professional outdoor leader can really make a positive impact. Another option is to begin to question all things. Questioning things in and of itself is not a bad response, in fact our inquisitive nature is part of God's gift to mankind. The problems begin to arise when we begin to question God, His plans or designs.
Since the fall of mankind through sin, mankind has sought to make himself equal to, or better than God. The first sin and expulsion from the Garden stemmed from a questioning of God and His motives and a desire to become a god of our own design and wants. It is simply not possible to be equal to God, or even to understand His plan from beginning to end. God is outside of our realm of understanding, thus we are to not question Him. If we do ask any questions that are not in any way related to God’s plan, we must make sure we are looking to a definitive authority to provide answers and that our very questions are not leading us astray and away from God.
God wants us to explore and question, to discover intricacies about His grand creation. Doing so can only draw us closer to Him and His ultimate truth. Until we seek out and learn objective fact, we can never produce productive subjective reasoning. The answers to all of life’s profound mysteries can be found in His word or His works. We must never allow the answers we find to elevate us to a position or authority where we begin to view ourselves in a godlike capacity, creating our own worldview and subjective reality.
It is of course possible to utilize subjective reasoning, but far too often this subjective reasoning grows from a tree that is pure poison making the fruit just as deadly. There have been many wise men and women that have walked the earth since time began that many have viewed as leaders. Studying the history of such men and women will clearly show where this knowledge and wisdom originated, which is from mankind’s sinful being. Some of the most evil men of all time were viewed as the most intelligent and competent leaders during their lifetime and many people looked to them as leaders, which led those people and their society to their own demise. Not to mention the terrible toll of death and destruction left in their wake.
It is imperative as outdoor leaders and professionals that we know who and where to look for definitive authorities of whom we can ask the most difficult and deepest questions of love, philosophy and objective fact, which will ultimately become the truth that we live and act by. The most profound of these questions need to be asked before we find ourselves in a crisis or a state of stress that would shake us to our very core. It is during these times that mankind often looks to a false leader or ideology as an expedient solution, which quickly becomes an entire society's moral compass. There is great danger in that rationale and one we can never allow ourselves to fall into as Christian outdoor leaders. Our foundations of truth must be well established through our constant prayer, good experiences, reading of the Bible, studying creation, and dealings with others.
Throughout history it has become commonplace to look for something or someone to blame when the answers that are given don’t turn out to be the answers we want to hear. Mankind has also become very adept at changing the very answers we are given by God’s plan and creation to fit a narrative we contrive, or to comfort ourselves to make it “feel” better. Again, as outdoor leaders, we must stay far away from this practice. Objective fact will never lead us astray, even if it is something we don’t want to hear. We must toughen our resolve and accept the answers.
All the answers we may find ourselves seeking can be found in the Bible. The unerring word of God. To parallel the Bible, we can also observe and learn from the works of God, also known as His creation. If we know the place to ask the questions and where to look for the answers, the revelation that can be found will be something that mankind's knowledge can never provide.
In conclusion, an experienced outdoor leader will always question the world around him or herself, not to question the will of God or the purpose of God, but to deeply inquire into the grand mysteries and design that are part of God’s gift to mankind, His creation. By seeking out how the works of God are so intricately designed and engineered, objective fact can only bring us to one truthful conclusion; Our creator loves His creation and provides us with many answers to the questions mankind has asked throughout history through His creation. Sometimes the simplest answer is the best answer. To quote George Mallory’s answer to a New York Times reporter on why someone would want to climb Mount Everest, he said “because it’s there.” So dear Christian friends and fellow outdoor leaders, look for the answers in God’s creation, because it’s there.
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