We often allow ourselves to live in an illusion and thus make decisions based on avoiding pain and hardship rather than what is best. M. Scott Peck writes:
Life is difficult. This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths. It is a great truth because once we truly see this truth, we transcend it. Once we truly know that life is difficult-once we truly understand and accept it-then life is no longer difficult. Because once it is accepted, the fact that life is difficult no longer matters.
That comes from Peck’s book The Road Less Traveled, named for Robert Frost’s poem that echoes Jesus’ words here about the paths that we choose, the ways that we can go.
Early Christians were often called People of the Way, a reminder that life with Christ is a journey, along a path. We choose the path, we choose the gate, but then we must continue along that path making choices all along the way.
But the gate and the path Jesus calls us to is narrow – constricting because of the persecution that path brings with it. And perhaps because of that, it is unpopular. Jesus is clear here about who his followers are – they are not the dominant culture, they are not the popular, not the trending.
Justice is difficult. Loving our enemy is difficult. Humans are built to love, but our fallen nature makes that hard. Compassion is looked down upon and hatred becomes easier than the love we are built for.
But walking the narrow path means turning our lives over to Jesus and the Holy Spirit, seeking God’s will for our life over our own. This, Jesus promises, will lead to problems. If everyone in your life is happy with you, are you really on the path Jesus wants for you?
As we look at the choices and paths we have ahead of us, may the words of Christ guide us to the narrow path and the narrow gate. May he give us the wisdom to discern the party courage to choose the more difficult road,