I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
The Road Not Taken—Robert Frost
Each day is filled with choices we make. Some are simple–oatmeal or cornflakes for breakfast, the most or least use of freeways on a driving route, dust or vacuum. Others are choices that have been looming over us for some time or have the potential to change our lives–taking a new job, deciding to get married, declaring a major.
Christ makes it clear that when we make the most important choice of all, to accept Him as our Savior, we embark on a lifelong journey of choices to walk along the “narrow way” with Him:
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:13-14
The narrow road means doing things like walking away from water cooler gossip, apologizing when we mess up, even to people we have a hard time “liking,” and even not watching the latest “cool” series on television that may be amusing, but also mocks the very God you have entered a covenant to follow. “Don’t commit adultery,” Jesus says in His Sermon on the Mount, but also, don’t even lust after another. Don’t murder, but don’t even harbor anger.
“This is impossible,” you say. I agree. On your own, it is totally impossible. But you are not alone:
“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” (John 14:15-21)
A life lived in full acknowledgement of our responsibility to make Christ-like choices is a life that should be filled daily with conversations with the Father, with quiet moments in practice listening for the Holy Spirit, with study in the Word to truly know what Christ defines as the narrow road. Most importantly, a life filled with choices is also a life that we can begin anew each morning. With true repentance, Christ is always available to help us turn from our sin, and He always loves us, no matter what.
May your way be narrow this week. You’ll be surprised at the freedom you will feel with Christ beside you on that road, holding your hand.
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