Saying of the Desert Christians: Becoming a Disciple 1

from:http://www.cin.org/dsrtft5.html

Some old men said, "If you see a young man climbing up to the heavens by his own will, catch him by the foot and throw him down to the earth; it is not good for him."

Some thoughts:

My first reaction is to laugh. My second is to say huh? And my third is what on earth do they mean? After all, don't we choose to love and serve God? But then I thought something else. I think they mean something more than mere choice. I think maybe they mean it quite literally, where self-will is the only tool. Not submission of one's will to the Lord, but doing it out of pride, ego and self-reliance.

Of course, I could be wrong. What do you think?