Narrow Way

“Enter through the narrow gate…”

Matthew 7:13 

          For many professions there is a certification process to insure the competence of those who would practice medicine, or law, or ministry.  There is a narrow way that must be followed.  You cannot skip these steps and still be entrusted with someone’s gall bladder, or court case, or soul; and most of us are pretty happy about that. We want assurance that our physicians and lawyers and even ministers know what they’re doing. 

          When Jesus spoke of a relationship with God, he also spoke of a narrow way, but recognized this is not a popular view.  In fact, he said most prefer the wide “anything goes” path to life. Many prefer easy over hard, and so like water will seek the lowest level.   

          God has always been more interested in lifting people up than in letting them down.  From the beginning of creation the Lord had high hopes and still does.  That’s why Christ came into our world and our lives.  He is the narrow way described in this scripture, and following him can be difficult.  It requires spiritual discipline, which is why those who abide with him are called disciples.  

          Finding the longest line and standing in the back of it may insure your place among the majority, but finding Christ and standing behind him insures, the Bible says, your place with God.  When faced with the choice of listening to the mob or hearing the Word of the Lord, choose the narrow and sometimes hard way, and you will find you’ll get to the place both you and God want you to be.