When I pack my bag to go up the mountain, a great deal of the volume and mass comes from extra water bottles I carry. Mostly these become nothing more than ballast to help increase the difficulty of the hike, but they are also there because we always meet someone who is unprepared. This weekend, I couldn't believe how many people were woefully unprepared and inappropriately outfitted for any degree of time in the back country. While I tip my hat to many of them for making the effort and seeing it through, I wonder if some of them bit off more than they can chew.
Two families of the same national origin came up on us without enough water, and one group had none at all. I normally carry five liters or so, and I gave away all of it except for what I needed for myself, and we watched the family consume everything we gave them. I gave them advice about going earlier, bringing the right gear, and maybe using a different trail with better tree cover and suggested they return to the car. They ignored me. The second family had like six kids, and the kids looked ok, but kids also don't know how to tell what's wrong, and by then it will be too late. It annoyed me because the parents put children unnecessarily at risk and because they pressed on anyway even though it was a bad idea.
All I can do is share with others what I find wise. Even if I could compel them to do what I demand, I know that you can only invite, entice, and hope that others will follow good counsel. In the end, each of them, however oppressed they may feel, is his own master. I met the only surviving son of the mayor of Innsbruck while in Austria. His father, when Hitler annexed Austria, flipped Hitler the bird instead of giving the NAZI salute and was shot dead on the spot by the SS. All of his sons were sent to the Russian front, and only this one man survived. Maybe it was a bit reckless, but that man made a decision and sealed his courage with his life. He didn't make anyone else resist the oppressors, but he set a good example.
One of the major goals of the volunteer program on the mountain is to encourage safety. Although the Spring Mountains are much prettier, cooler, and lusher than the Vegas valley, they still sit in the middle of the desert. By this time of year, many of the springs are reduced to a trickle, and I reported to the dismay of folks at the visitor center that the last spring before the peak appears to be dry for the summer. This is not the first time I gave away my water to help others who were unprepared, and it won't be the last. It vexes me to think they disregarded my counsel and kept going anyway.
We're all human, and sometimes we make mistakes. Sometimes I'm wise, and sometimes I'm otherwise. I have learned my limits, and I know my body and how to tell when it's had enough. The ultimate goal of every hike is to get back to the car safely, especially when you are responsible for other people. All we can do is teach them correct principles and let them govern themselves. It's the only way for them to really learn and really grow and really be their best. Any time we attempt to dictate terms, unless there is imminent danger, we rob them of learning opportunities. I hope both families are ok, because I have gone home and slept for hours before because I was absolutely exhausted, and I'm a veteran hiker!
Fortunately for us, in our larger existence as well as for these hikers, there is a Rescue. When we come into duress, search and rescue teams will try to help save us. When we find ourselves in despair and under condemnation, there is a Savior who came to save us. Of course, in that moment, someone needs to know that you need help and you need to accept it. I can't rescue anyone who doesn't want to be saved. I can send boats, helicopters, dog teams, missionaries, friends, and prayers, but unless you actually want my help it will not help. I find it funny because these hikers eagerly chugged down the refreshing waters of dihydrogen monoxide I gave them, but if I tried to talk to them about He who gives living water, they would probably ignore me. Part of why I go to the mountain is to get closer to God, not because I'm at higher elevation but because I'm away from distractions. However, you may not find Him if you don't come with what's necessary to reach and approach His throne. Word to the wise- it is not shameful to accept help or advice. You can always go hiking again. Gas is cheap. Life is not, and all too often it's too short for us to make the kind of mistakes that leave us thirsting for righteousness but unwilling to go where God tells us to find it.
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