The Road Less Traveled - May 6

Read Matthew 7:13-14

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

Reflect

What do you think it means that the “gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction”?

Right now, as this article is being posted, it is the first week of May. For many people, that means graduation season is fast approaching. It’s a heady time for a teenager as they prepare to set out into the world on their own. It’s a time for grappling with questions of identity and purpose. And it’s a time when our decisions set us on a course that will carry with us the rest of our lives.

Today’s passage is part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. He used the illustration of two roads to explain that there are only two paths in life. One leads to heaven and one leads to hell. So, it seems as if everyone would want to take the road that leads to heaven, right?

Well, Jesus said no. Actually, the road that leads to everlasting life is narrow and difficult to travel. Because of this, most people decide that they’d rather stick to the broad and easy road. Tragically, “easy street" is the path that leads to destruction, not life.

In his New Testament commentary, Dr. Warren Wiersbe noted: “The fact that ‘everybody does it’ is no proof that what they are doing is right. Quite the contrary is true: God’s people have always been a remnant, a small minority in this world. The reason is not difficult to discover: The way of life is narrow, lonely, and costly. We can walk on the broad way and keep our ‘baggage’ of sin and worldliness. But if we enter the narrow way, we must give up those things.”

Many false teachers claim that the life of faith is easy. God won’t give you more than you can handle, they say. If you are going through a hard time, you must be doing something wrong. Straighten up, pray, and just have more faith. God will always shower you with blessings!

But when we go back to the Bible, we see example after example of Christ’s followers suffering, even to the point of death. We know that all over the world, we have fellow believers who are being persecuted and martyred, even in our day and age. Jesus never told us that following Him would be easy. The road is narrow and difficult.

However, the trip is worth it because it’s the road that leads to everlasting life! The going may be tougher in this life for those of us seeking to walk the straight and narrow. But the moment we arrive in His presence, all of that will be forgotten. We will experience perfect love, joy, peace, and rest for all eternity. Plus, He promised that we’d never walk through this life alone. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).

Respond

Lord, thank You for explaining that You are the life-giving path (John 14:6) and warning us to avoid the broad, easy way that leads to destruction. But I confess that sometimes it is hard to stay on the straight and narrow. Walk beside me, Lord and give me the strength to persevere. Amen.

Reveal

Do you know someone walking the broad and easy road that leads to destruction? Prayerfully consider how you might continue to invite them to join you on the path of life.