On Sherpas
I’m a routine guy, and part of my (most) morning behavior is reading a bit from several books. In time I whittle away at them and most days glean something worth remembering. One of those books these days is Bob Goff’s Dream Big. This paragraph from early in the text grabbed me and made sense.
In this journey we’re setting out on, I’m not your guide; I’m a Sherpa. I’ll tell you why. Guides tell someone what mountain to climb. They order all the equipment, get the food, buy the tents, and tell the climber what route to take and direct all of the steps taken. Sherpas, on the other hand, let the climber pick the mountain to be climbed, then spend most of their time laying the ropes in advance so the climber can move a little faster. More importantly, Sherpas tell climbers what they don’t need to take in order to make the summit. If you’ve ever seen an overeager climber, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Their pack is so loaded down with things they don’t really need that they’ll never go the distance or get to the destination. The same is true for you, and we’re going to need to offload quite a bit of what we’ve accumulated if we’re going to make it to the top of our ambitions. Tie your boot laces, get your backpack on, and go.
If we want to do more with our lives than just live another day until we are done, we will invest ourselves both in continuously learning and helping others grow. Reaching up and reaching down. Maybe that’s a bit of what Paul was getting at when, toward the end of his first letter to Corinthian believers (who were quite the mess) he says,
“Imitate me as I imitate Christ.”
First, find a sherpa. Talk with almost anyone you admire and ask them how they got where they are, and you often will hear of who influenced them, and chances are they will tell of more sherpas than guides. I have mine who coached and encouraged me toward my next thing. Sherpas are those folks who we can look to as models and lean on for advice and who challenge us to live our lives, not theirs.
Pray into your life someone who has gone before and knows what is needed to climb your mountain. Maturity is not relying on anyone else to dictate your steps, but at the same time it includes leaning on people who can fill in your gaps, your places of void. Sherpas stand with and support, then stand aside and encourage. Find yourself a sherpa.
And as you climb, look for chances to be a sherpa. Without laying out detailed plans that worked for you but may not fit another, lend your insights, your hard-won lessons about the way faith walking goes. If no one asks, tell God you are open for business, and he may just bring along another climber who could use what you have.
Being a sherpa involves a lot of listening and questioning and pondering together. An attractive, but unhelpful, side to sherpa-ing is when it drifts into guiding, calling the shots, or manipulating another into doing what the guide thinks should be done. You are responsible for your life and I am for mine, but the role of a sherpa, a friend, a sounding board can be invaluable.
Find a sherpa. In every stage of life we still need to press on to learn and climb and grow, and can use help. Don't be foolish to think you can pull it off alone.
Ask them out for coffee, and you buy.
Let them know a bit of your current climb and see how they respond.
Listen closely to how they navigated similar situations.
Possibly enlist them to hold you accountable to your good goals.
Be a sherpa. Serve others quietly with what you have learned on your mountain.
As you go, pray for a heart to be open to helping others on their journey.
To prepare, think about what has helped and what has hindered your own growth.
When a climber crosses your path and asks for advice, listen first, then share, carefully and slowly, some of what you learned along the way.
Remind yourself often that this is their climb and their mountain and you are present to help them along.
The best we can do for others is to be with them, not over or under, but with. And most of the time when I'm at a tough place on my journey, I need less by way of answers and more in terms of presence. Being with is harder than dumping off guide-like answers, but will be so much better in the long run.
Thanks, Bob, for a good illustration to chew on this week.
Good Sherpa-ing to all y'all.
Music is always good...
How about a bad joke or two for the road?
A young private sought permission from his Commanding Officer to leave camp the following weekend. "You see," he explained, "my wife's expecting."
"Oh..." said the Officer, "I understand. Go ahead and tell your wife that I wish her luck."
The following week the same soldier was back again with the same explanation: "My wife's expecting."
The Officer looked surprised. "Still expecting?" he said, "Well, well, my boy, you must be pretty bothered. Of course you can have the weekend off.
"When the same soldier appeared again the third week, however, the Officer lost his temper. "Don't tell me your wife is still expecting!" he bellowed.
"Yes sir!" said the soldier resolutely, "She's still expecting."
"What on earth is she expecting?" cried the Officer.
"Me," said the soldier simply.
__________
The family's teenage son had just received his brand new drivers license.
To celebrate, the whole family trooped out to the driveway and climbed into the car for his inaugural drive.
Dad immediately headed to the back seat, directly behind the newly minted driver.
"I'll bet you're back there to get a change of scenery after all those months of sitting in the front passenger seat teaching me how to drive," said the beaming boy to his old man.
"Nope," came dad's reply, "I'm gonna sit back here and kick the back of your seat while you drive, just like you have been doing to me for sixteen years."