The Road Least Recognized

Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it.  For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it.  Matthew 7:13, 14 (New American Standard Bible)

One Christmas when my children were young I attempted to assemble their Christmas toys without reading the instructions. Who needed to be constricted to complicated assembly instructions?  It couldn’t be that difficult and doing it the way I thought it ought to be done seemed easier.  I took the wide and easy way and wound up having to return to the instructions and reassemble the toy.  From that time on I’ve always followed the steps in assembling anything new.

Jesus spoke of seeking the easy way when He addressed how easy it is to choose the wide way of the world’s choices missing God’s less recognized way totally.  The human heart, much like water, follows the path of least resistence.  The wide boulevard of self and denial of Christ is easier to find and follow for it’s always much easier to go with the flow.  The narrow way is more difficult but Christ says it is the way that leads to eternal life.  At times of discouragement in our walk with Christ it is good to stop to reconsider why we chose the narrow gate and way in the first place.  We obviously saw something of worth in going that way and obviously continue too as we remain there.

Jesus used the illustration of people being like sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9:36). That, of course, is metaphorically speaking.  Sheep are pretty much helpless on their own and need a guiding hand. He said He is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11).  Jesus didn’t drive us through that narrow gate; we followed Him through it.  We put our total hope in His love and protection trusting that He knows that narrow way perfectly.  The wide way is easier to find but leads to destruction while the narrow way leads to eternal life through Christ.  For those of us who have discovered that narrow gate and way it is a source of hope and comfort.  Jesus said He is the only way through (John 14:6).  It is the gate least recognized but the gate that is most worthwhile.    

Ken

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