The Daily Ladder S1:5

On the Single Principle That Guides Us

These reflections follow my daily reading of Saint John Climacus’ Ladder of Divine Ascent — a spiritual ladder placed before us by God, rung by rung, for those who would rise above the world.

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Today’s Reading

“All who have willingly left the things of the world, have certainly done so for the sake of the future kingdom, or because of the multitude of their sins, or for the love of God. If they were not moved by any of these reasons, their withdrawal from the world was unreasonable. But God, who sets our contests, waits to see what the end of our course will be.”
— St. John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, Step 1:5

Saint John and The Ladder of Ascent

We are moved by many things. But for every person, there is one thing — one guiding principle — around which all other motivations orbit. For some, it is wealth. For others, family. Or fame. Health. Pleasure. The list of possibilities is endless.

The best way to discern what it is for you is to reflect on a time you fell — or to fall away from the world for a while and observe what you rely upon to rise again.

In my own life, the answer has changed over time. There was a season when wealth lifted me — I poured my soul into business. Another time, it was fame, and I turned to social media. Then health, and the gym became my sanctuary.

None of these things are evil in themselves. But they become poisonous when treated as the end rather than the means. They become the shaky foundation we return to with every fall — a foundation of sand.

“Their withdrawal from the world was unreasonable.”

To illustrate, imagine a bucket being filled with water. Now imagine you poke many holes in the sides of that bucket. Each hole represents one of your key motivations in life — wealth, family, health, fame, pleasure.

Water flows endlessly through these holes. You stand there with two small cups, trying to catch as much as you can and pour it back into your bucket. One cup under wealth, one under family — you focus on those two streams. But what about the others? They pour out untouched.

You can switch cups, of course — today wealth, tomorrow health — but you are always missing something. No matter how hard you try, water keeps leaking and slipping away.

Now consider this: if you set down the cups and stop trying to catch and control each individual stream, what is the simplest and most effective way to capture all the water and fill the bucket?

A funnel. A wide, steady funnel placed at the source — it catches everything perfectly. All you must do is hold the funnel in place. The water does the work itself.

This is what happens when we shift our focus away from individual worldly goals and place it upon God. God hands us the funnel. When He is first, all other streams flow properly. All is ordered, and the bucket fills.

That is what God wants for us — not a life of frantic cup-balancing, but a life where all flows through Him.

It sounds simple. And it is. But here is the hard part: we must first learn to hold the funnel.

What does this mean? It means renouncing worldly attachments — not hating them, but letting them go for a time so that we can reset. Let the water pour through the holes without concern. It will continue to flow whether you chase it or not.

Your focus must be solely on finding the funnel, picking it up, and holding it fast.

Once God is placed before all else, once the soul has been reset, you may re-enter the world. But now, where you once grasped at things for selfish gain, you will approach them with love — and in that love, they will become blessings in return.

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Notes Worth Sharing

1. All things are good in God — except evil.
   Just as there are many ways to attain wealth, there are many ways to glorify God. And just as wealth has much to offer, God has infinitely more — including wealth, should He will it. In Him is everything worth having.

2. Withdrawal from the world is not easy.
   But is anything worthwhile easy? Of course not. The difference is this: when we set our hearts on worldly things, the results are tangible. They reward us and tell us we are making progress.

   But when we lift our hearts to God — truly pursue Him, perhaps for the first time — the change is not always visible. Yet is this not how all deep things work?

   So what turns us away from God? Ego. The Ego wants to protect Pride. It wants to take ownership of all glory and satisfaction from our labors. But in placing it all in God’s hands, the Ego must die — and it resists with all its might.

3. Jesus came with a sword to divide.
   We have all heard stories of the highly successful — those who left behind family, friends, and comfort to pursue a singular vision. Steve Jobs devoted himself to Apple. Bill Gates to Microsoft. Kobe Bryant to basketball.

   Along the way, they burned bridges. They were called crazy, especially in the beginning.

   So it is with the Christian life. But as spiritual athletes, our aim is the Kingdom. And here, there are no iPhones or championship rings to display on earth.

   No one can know for certain that what we say is true — not until they try it for themselves.

   And when this calling becomes real to you, and you truly renounce the world, be prepared: you may have to withdraw from what is dearest to you, at least for a time.

   You cannot control others’ choices. All you can do is pray — and press

   onward.

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