Sir Edmond Hillary was the first man to climb Mount Everest. On May 29, 1953 he sealed the highest mountain then known to man--- 29,000 feet straight up. He was knighted for his efforts. But not everyone knows about a speech he gave in England a few weeks after his first failed attempt to make the climb.

Yes, when he finally succeeded, Sir Edmund Hillary was a celebrity. But until we read his book, High Adventure, we didn’t understand that Hillary had to grow into this success.

You see, in 1952 he failed in attempting to climb Mount Everest. Later he was asked to speak to an audience that recognized his attempt at greatness. But Edmund Hillary saw himself as a failure.

He walked to the edge of the platform, made a fist and pointed at a picture of Mount Everest. Then he said in a loud voice, “Mount Everest, you beat me the first time, but I’ll beat you the next time because you’ve grown all you are going to grow… but I’m still growing!”

I almost get chills telling you that story, because is it so true: physical things stay the same, for the most part… whereas you and I are meant for greatness… because we have God who designed us for greatness. We are made to climb the great mountains of life. Don’t get discouraged.

Just remember the words of Sir Edmund Hillary: “You beat me the first time, but I’ll beat you the next time because you’ve grown all you are going to grow… but I’m still growing!”

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