The Third Idea: Digging Through a Mountain

I'd like you all for a moment to imagine that you are standing in front of a mountain. Its tall, but you could climb it if you wanted, but who knows how many miles it is across in either direction. Trees cover the face of the mountain and streams and lakes decorate various areas. Its beautiful indeed. You could probably stay on this mountain forever, just having fun and doing what you want, but something is compelling you otherwise. Its probably the shovel in your hand. 

For some strange reason, you must be intending to dig through this mountain. 

What sane person digs through a mountain?!

Well, what if this mountain has gold? Diamonds? Rubies? Emeralds? Sapphires? The list is as endless as the mountain itself. The treasures within the mountain upon which you stand are relatively limitless, but it seems to you that you are only one of the people that knows about it. Of course, the only problem is that in order to get to the treasures you have to dig all the way to the center of the mountain and in order to obtain all of those treasures there must be another person with you. And some of those treasures can only be obtained when a man and a woman work together to obtain them. 

There are lots of people on this mountain, some with radio sets, some with hiking boots, some are headed back down the mountain, most of the people on the mountain seem to be there only to enjoy the fun for a moment and then as time passes sink back down the mountain to do whatever they think may please them, and yet as you look you can see that a few of the people on the mountain are holding, yes that right, shovels.  As you look closer you notice that all the people on this side of the mountain are the same gender as you. It seems that one half of the mountain can only hold girls, and the other only boys. There is nowhere to meet except the middle of the mountain, whether to climb to the top and meet there, or to do as you know you should. Dig to the middle, because it won't matter if you meet them at the top, you won't gain anything that way. The mountain and all its treasures will still be beneath you and you will be no happier than when you started.

When you came to this mountain you knew that on the other side you had a friend who knew about the treasures that run deep in the veins of the rock. Well there you go! You think. All you must do is dig to the middle of the mountain and meet your friend there, then you can attain all the treasures promised when you reach your goal. 

You have many friends on the other side of the mountain, of course, and many of them want to dig to the center as you, but you are certain that they will not dig to the same spot as you. If you want to get to the center of the mountain you must dig with someone who will meet you in the middle. In faith in your friend you begin to dig where it feels right.  

Digging a mountain is hard. Its dark, and cold sometimes. In the darkness of the cave you are digging its easy to doubt yourself. Should you really be digging here? What if your friend doesn't dig to the same spot? What if your friend digs too slow and doesn't put in as much effort as you? What if you get to the middle and they aren't there? What if you wait for hours and hours upon months and months and they never come? What if all this digging was a waste? What if you have to go back on all your hard work and start a new tunnel to meet someone else? 

Yes in the darkness of your tunnel the voices of doubt can be heard loud and clear. Honestly you don't even know how long it will take you to dig through this mountain. You don't know a lot of things, but since you started you have decided to finish. Every once in a while you shout with all your might to your friend who you hope to meet in hopes that they will hear you and continue to dig as you are, and sometimes, you hear them shout back.

So you dig. You dig with all your might and heart. And while you dig you hear the voice of the owner of the mountain, he's telling you to dig on. The owner of the mountain sees everything. He knows who's digging where and if they'll meet. He can see you grow in strength and faith as you dig your tunnel. He made the mountain this way. The owner of the mountain can see you fall, he can see you try, and he wants you to get up and continue. That way, when you meet your friend in the middle of his mountain you are both worthy of those treasures he promised you.
Everyone will have a different experience digging their tunnels. Some may know exactly who they are digging to meet, some may not have a clue but dig and hope that somewhere along the way they are guided to that person, some may change the course of their tunnel as they dig, and others may stay on a straight course the entire time. Either way, where you go and how you get there is really up to you, but faith and trust in the owner of the mountain will lead you where its best to go and on the path that will help you the most.

Guys, there are many treasures that await us as we dig our way through the mountain. If we only meet at the top we wont ever get those treasures we could have obtained. The mountain is meant to be dug, not just observed, or played on, or hiked. Those treasures are for you! Go get them! No matter how long or dark the tunnel may seem, it will all be worth it if you can continue to dig.