In Wyoming, there are a number of plateaus. Their images cut clearly against the sky. As the light hits the plateau throughout the day, the strata displays a variety of appealing red, orange, brown, and grey tones, and a lazy shadow plods along at the side. In truth, not all plateaus have this distinct desert look. Some of the world’s plateaus are covered over in vegetation, some are underwater, and there can be quite a variation in sizes. To understand how big a plateau can be, it is said the state of Wyoming itself is a large plateau broken up by mountain ranges. Plateaus are created and shaped by wind, rain, movement of the earth’s crust, and even lava flows.
There is another meaning for the term plateau which is taken from the geologic feature. The term plateau can mean a point where growth, increase, or improvement has leveled off. For Christians, this is not a beautiful thing. They are called to continual growth.
2 Peter 3:18 – But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and for ever. Amen.
That growth comes from knowing and following the Word of God. When spiritual growth occurs, plateaus are left and a grand peak is climbed.
I Peter 1:1-2 – Putting away therefore all wickedness, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, as newborn babes, long for the spiritual milk which is without guile, that ye may grow thereby unto salvation;
Rather than geologic forces shaping the Christian life, humanity tries to shape it into a plateau. It tries to make the Christian like everyone else. It encourages his media choices. It suggests or tries to enforce worldly standards of morality. It offers many types of gods. If successful, these influences will not only cause a plateau in the life of a Christian, but they will erode it away into nothingness.
Matthew 7:24-27 – Every one therefore that heareth these words of mine, and doeth them, shall be likened unto a wise man, who built his house upon the rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and if fell not: for it was founded upon the rock. And every one that heareth these words of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and smote upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall thereof.