Every once and while there will be a verse I stumble over during a morning devotional only to have it show up again during the day or week in some other shape or form.
Sometimes it will be something encouraging, sometimes an answer or clarification, and sometimes a nagging feeling.
The latter of which leads me to my blog. Mostly I write here to share some neat insight I had and because I hope to encourage others. This time, however, I write wondering if others out there find themselves asking similar questions and wrestling with Jesus’ statements as I am.
“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.” – Matthew 7:13-14
Quick context: These verses are part of the famous Sermon on the Mount. Jesus starts his sermon with the “Beatitudes”, a set of spiritual attributes he calls blessed and that lay the groundwork for the outward expressions which he teaches about later. Near the end of his sermon is where we find these verses, nicely fitted in between the Golden Rule (do to others as you’d have them do to you) and the fruit that reveals a good or bad tree.
Every time I come back to Jesus’ sermon on the mount I find something convicting or challenging.
This time, however, instead of an area of life that I feel needs adjustment or repentance, these verses pierced a bit closer to the core.
- Am I walking the narrow way? Is it hard?
- Have I chosen an easier compromise?
- Only a fewfind it? Why only a few? And am I one of those?
Yes, Jesus offers grace, peace, rest and victory. Absolutely!
But, he also mentions over and over again the hardships, the cross, the persecution, and the challenges a follower will face. Now, life has its general ups and downs but the hardships Jesus mentioned here are the result of following him. So while those naturally-occurring “downs” certainly seem to be part of a faith-building process, my question is this:
- Am I experiencing hardships due to my following after him?
Am I following hard after him if I find myself facing little to no opposition? - Has it cost me anything to follow him? (Luke 14:27-28)
Am I walking the straight and narrow path, or how much have I become a friend of this world (James 4:4)?
Jesus is clear that anyone who will follow him will be as light in darkness (Matthew 5:14). In other words, they will unquestionably stand out.
The persecution and hardships come, because people hate light. As Jesus said:
“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.” – John 3:19
The prophets, Jesus himself, and his desciples all endured hardship because their life irritated others. A reightous life will irritate those who walk in sin.
I know this to be true, remembering a time in my life when a friend’s “light” was incredibly irritating to me. And it wasn’t that my friend pointed out my sin to me or anything like that, rather their righteous way of living was so convicting it was truly irritating. However, once I had dealt with my sin, repented and turned back to God, and no longer was stuck in a defense mode, I found her light to be a delightful blessing.
So, how bright is my light?
What about you?
Ps. I mentioned in the beginning that the verses showed up again in another shape or form. In my case it was the movie “The Pilgrim’s Progress”. A low budget production, that still managed to provoke a lot of reflection and reverence for the price of following after Christ.
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