LADDER CLIMBING

 

So He said to him, “What is your name?” He said, “Jacob.”  (Genesis 32:27)

When God asked Jacob his name, the omniscient Lord was not seeking information, but confession.  They were wrestling in the dark, but God was not in the dark as to his combatant.  He just wanted Jacob to own up to his name—and thus, his nature.  The name meant “supplanter, heel-grabber” and so he was.  From conception, he struggled in the womb with his twin, Esau.  At their birth, Jacob clutches his brother’s heel as though to resist him being the first-born.  Throughout his days, Jacob sought the birthright and blessing of the firstborn—taking advantage of his brother’s hunger and his father’s blindness.  Jacob would have to leave home for fear that Esau was fed up with it and was going to kill him.  That first night away from home, Jacob had a dream—he saw a ladder stretched from heaven to earth—the throne of God above and angels ascending and descending on that heavenly ladder.  How fitting—for Jacob was a ladder climber, if ever there was one!  No matter whom he had to step on or what he had to do as he got to the top—it was only reaching the pinnacle that mattered.  To Jacob, the end justified the means.  Now, in the ultimate turning point, the God who had been disciplining him will break him—and that humiliation will pave the way for real exaltation.

What is the lesson for the man of God?  It is easy to look at celebrity pastors and dream of leading a mega-church.  Perhaps a subtle seed of temptation is planted in our heart—covetousness that leads to compromise—all in the name of God—when it is really about our name.  We say we want to reach more people—and how noble is that!  I do not judge, but the Serpent has a way of twisting the good we are doing into a motive that is carnal, worldly, sensual, and devilish.  In the evangelical world today, size does matter—and sometimes that is all that does.

Please, no one read this as a judgment on mega-ministries and well-known pastors.  Doubtless, that could spring from envy on my part.  God sometimes promotes men to such effectiveness and they remain the same humble servants as ever.  There is no particular sign of God’s favor because our name is obscure or our congregation small.  We may merely be incompetent or indolent!

My simple plea is this for all of us—do not be a ladder climber!  Don’t seek the big position.  Seek a great God!  Desire His will above all.  Submit to the place He has for you—and that is mega-ministry whether you are ever asked to speak on the denominational stage or quoted on the national news.  Jacob finally found the favor he longed for—not by his self-effort and self-promotion, but in brokenness and pain.  He limped from the scars of that struggle with God for the rest of his life.  That was a needful reminder of his need to humbly walk with God rather than seek to climb the ladder.  God knows where you are and is quite capable of getting you where He wants you to be—without your help!