Jeremy L. Berg

We just snapped that classic milestone photo of our 6-year old, Peter, climbing up those enormous school bus steps, turning around for that split second with a proud smile, and the look of excitement with tinge of apprehension in his eyes. Snap photo. 

And just like that the driver pulled the lever and the doors of early childhood closed and Peter walked down that bus aisle and into full-fledged “boyhood.” His mommy sobbed, and daddy pondered.

I’m thinking about stairs today. I’m reflecting on the upward climb of life. I’m chewing on cliches and spitting out some raw thoughts. Steps are a rich metaphor for life’s transitions and challenges, progress and pursuit of dreams. They are also the focus of many cheesy inspirational quotes. Try these on for size:

“You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take one step at a time.”

“If climbing stairs is not difficult, you are young.”

“The climb is tough, but the view from the top is worth it.”

“Life is too short to climb stairs one at a time.”

 “There’s no elevator to success, you have to climb the stairs.”

Pushing the cliches aside, I began thinking about some of Peter’s “first steps” or stairway moments.

I remember like yesterday climbing the front steps of our first little yellow house with newborn Peter in carseat, and turning for my own first day in the school of parenting photo (see photo). Just like Peter getting on the bus today, the photo captures me with a proud smile, the look of excitement and a boatload of apprehension in my eyes. I turned the doorknob and walked into the new world of fatherhood.

A more frightening stairway moment happened before Peter was born, when I watched my pregnant Keri slip and fall down those same steps. My heart leapt into my throat, hoping our baby was ok in there. (Our mothers start cushioning our blows and minimizing our pain even before we’re born. And they never stop, by the way.) But I wonder if that little tumble contributed to Peter’s love of bumpy rides, thrills and climbing adventures. We called him “Danger Baby” early on because he was fearless at the playground, scaling the climbing wall before he was even 1 year old, and escaping  his crib very early, too.

Many know the stairway in our old 1918 house on Cedar is dangerously steep and narrow — and all hardwood. We all wish the difficult climbs of life were protected by soft, squishy carpet for those moments when we stumble and fall. They’re usually not. We all fall down and get hurt. It’s part of the upward climb. In my top 3 scariest parenting moments, I watched Peter shaking the safety gate at the top of the stairs until it suddenly came loose, and Peter rode that gate head first down those steep steps until the tumbling gate shattered the window at the bottom. Peter was perfectly fine. I was a mess for quite a while.

So, as I stare at the fresh photo of Peter on those school bus steps this morning, looking back at me with pride and boyish confidence, what words of wisdom are on my mind?You can keep your pop wisdom and fortune cookie quotes. Sure, the statements above contain some truth, but they also all assume life’s climb is mainly about reaching our goals, about our success, and all about our efforts. But I believe a holy reverence for God is where the truly wise climber begins his ascent.

Jesus would be quick to remind those so busy climbing the staircase to their own dreams and/or worldly success that when/if they actually reach the top, they may not find the view worth it after all. Many have found the top of such a climb a rather lonely, empty place — especially if they have had to push people out of the way, and climb over others to get there. Jesus asks the eager climber, “What good does it do you if you gain the whole world, but forfeit your very self/soul along the way up” (Mark 8:36)?

So I dug into the ancient wisdom of Scripture and I offer the following prayers and promises to my children as they begin their upward climb and take their first steps:

“Come, let us climb up the mountain of the LORD…That He may teach us concerning His ways And that we may walk in His paths.” (Isaiah 2:3)

Dear Peter, Isaak and Abby: Choose to climb God’s mountain instead of the world’s ladders of success. By learning His ways and walking His paths, you’ll also attain your own God-given Dream for your life.

“So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, for He was about to pass through that way.” (Luke 19:4)

Dear children: The grandest view of all is seeing Jesus passing through our lives each day. Climb urgently and audaciously to get glimpses of that!

“But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God…. ‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ (Isaiah 14:13-14)

Dear children: Beware of the lures of pride and self-centeredness in your culture and own hearts that tempt you to climb your own ladder, place yourself at the top, ‘playing God’. “Those who exalt themselves will be lowered. Those who lower themselves will be exalted” (Matt 23:12).

Dear Children: God will be with you always, whether you find yourself successfully on the top and riding high, or whether you have just tumbled into one of life’s momentary pits. “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt 28).

Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have laid hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s upward calling in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should embrace this point of view. (Phil 3:14-15)

 Dear Peter, Isaak and Abby: This is a LifeVerse of mine of great personal significance. Its under my high school yearbook photo. I want you to give your one life to the greatest upward ascent of all, straining toward the ultimate goal of gaining Christ Jesus himself! This is the highest calling and most exhilarating climb of all. True maturity and wisdom aim not for worldly success but the eternal prize! So, forget the mistakes of yesterday and leave the painful falls in your past in the rearview. Just keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. Take his hand and keep climbing together until you have laid hold of the Ultimate Prize!

But it all starts back at that bus stop with back-to-school haircut, shiny new shoes and backpack, a couple teary-eyed parents and those 4 enormous steps onto the yellow limo. Just before he took those big steps, Keri and I placed our hands on his head and gave him that 3,000 year old blessing of Aaron:

Peter, the Lord bless you
    and keep you;
 the Lord make his face shine on you
    and be gracious to you;
 the Lord turn his face toward you
    and give you peace (Numbers 6:22-27).

Have a great first day of school, Peter! We’re proud of you!

(And lest anyone conclude from this that we got this parenting thing nailed, I then proceeded to drop off Abby at day care without any shoes. Still learning how to climb and stumbling daily!)