Written By Joey Salazar

Climbing With Jesus

Matthew 5:1–2 (MSG)
When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions.

Jesus didn’t dismiss the crowd, but He invited the committed higher.

Those willing to climb with Him got…

  • Confidence – They walked away grounded, steady, secure.

  • Clarity – Perspective, understanding, vision you don’t get at ground level.

  • Closeness – Intimacy that only comes from proximity.

  • Commission – Direction, assignment, calling shaped by His voice.

  • Conviction – Deep inner resolve, not hype or emotion.

  • Change – Real transformation from being with Him.

  • Counsel – Wisdom you don’t receive in the noise of the crowd.

The crowd stayed below.
The climbers sat close enough to hear Him teach.

What does “climbing” look like today?

Climbing isn’t distance from people. It’s depth with Jesus.

It looks like choosing intentional proximity over convenience.

1. Choosing the quiet

Climbing means carving out space when noise is easier.

  • Prayer when distraction is loud

  • Scripture when scrolling is faster

  • Silence when filling the gap feels safer

Crowds stay noisy. Climbers choose quiet.

2. Obedience before clarity

Climbing often starts with a step, not a map.

  • Saying yes before you feel ready

  • Forgiving before you feel healed

  • Trusting before it makes sense

You don’t climb with certainty. You climb with trust.

3. Letting Jesus challenge you

The mountain isn’t comfortable.

  • Allowing Jesus to confront attitudes, motives, and habits

  • Letting Him stretch your thinking

  • Staying when it would be easier to stay impressed but unchanged

Climbing means letting Jesus correct you, not just comfort you.

4. Consistency over intensity

Climbing isn’t one big moment, it’s daily steps.

  • Faithfulness in unseen places

  • Small spiritual disciplines practiced often

  • Showing up when it feels ordinary

Spiritual maturity is built on repeated steps, not emotional peaks.

5. Carrying less

You can’t climb with excess weight.

  • Laying down comparison

  • Releasing control

  • Dropping expectations you were never meant to carry

Some things feel spiritual, but they’re just heavy.

Jesus still teaches on the mountain. The question is: who’s willing to climb?

Joey Salazar https://joeysalazar.org
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