Dear Friend, Experts suggest we make 35,000 decisions a day. Excluding our average sleeping time of seven hours, we make one decision every two seconds. Not all decisions may not be an important one. Most of them could be insignificant. Our choices and decisions make our lives. We have the option to say Yes as Yes and No as No. We also have the option to say Yes as No and No as Yes. Our decisions make us who we are. We are born with free will to choose who we want to be.
We have the option to mix our life’s decisions with occasional right and wrong. We can be a good person in one instance and a bad person very next minute. Our own self-centered needs might drive the decision when we want to be good or bad. Life gives us an option to lie and cheat as long as it fulfils our needs. We get the option to twist some facts as long as it is beneficial to us. Some might even think the good things they do will compensate for the bad. This option makes everything right as long it pleases us. Overall, life gives us a broad spectrum of options to tailor our decisions to our convenience and comfort.
There is an inconvenience in choosing to be always right. For example, we might lose when we don’t over project more than what we are when all the others are doing it. We might not score all the browny points. To be always right, our yes always needs to yes, and no always needs to be no. The person who does it has limited options in life. He / she who wants to be right becomes a laughingstock for others.
Jesus calls this life of limited choices as “narrow way”. He called the opposite of the narrow way as broadway, where the options are unlimited.
Narrow way vs. Broadway
What is the difference between broadway and narrow way? Both seem to be two different ways. Is there any advantage in following one over the other? Based on the world view, the broadway seems to be more attractive and convenient than the narrow way. It offers unlimited options compared to the narrow way. Why did then Jesus ask us to follow the narrow way? You might ask why should I lose the convenience of broadway and walk in the “narrow way”, where there are way too many inconveniences? Jesus said the broadway leads to eternal death, and the narrow way leads to eternal life.
Those in broadway might enjoy unlimited options now but will face eternal consequences at the end of life. But those who are leading an honest life might struggle now when they navigate through the narrow way but will be rewarded with eternal life.
Jesus Is the Way
A closer look at the narrow way might surprise most of us. Why is this path exists as an anomaly to the world view? The modern worldview is very simple - “Just do it”. If you like it, then go for it for your enjoyment. Amid all these thoughts, the narrow way principle of doing only what is right does not fit into worldly pattern. Walking in the narrow way seems to be an anomaly. You are exactly right. The concept of a narrow way came not from the world. It came from outside the world. Jesus came to this world as man and said, “I am the way”. It means that He created the way, and it is His way. He advised everyone to walk through the narrow way.
The next question could be how Jesus created the way and why did he create it? The reason Jesus came to this earth was to lead us to eternal life and make sure we spend the rest of the life with Him in eternity. To accomplish that, Jesus lived and walked through the narrow way. He lived a blemishless life and forged the past of a narrow way that no human can accomplish. He specifically created this way so you and I can walk through the narrow way and reach heaven.
Jesus is the Gate
Not only Jesus said He is the way, He also said, “I am the gate”. Anyone who needs to enter through the narrow way has to go through Him. Well, why did Jesus put this condition for the already difficult way? Let’s think deeply about this. Jesus said he is the gate so that only people who believe in Him can enter through the gate. Why should we believe in Jesus? Well, Jesus created the way by living a blemishless life. Only He alone knows how to go through the way. Jesus knows exactly whether to take a right turn or left turn. Unless we believe in Him and willing to listen to His experienced guidance, it is impossible to make the right choices and decisions in life. No amount of self-discipline can help us make the right decision unless we will listen to the experienced mentor and guide, i.e. Jesus.
I hope now it makes more sense why Jesus asked people to go through the narrow way because it was created by Him and for those who believe in Him. Only those who believe in Him can enter through the gate.
Jesus is a Good Shepherd
Jesus not only said he is the way and the gate. He also said He is a good shepherd. What does a shepherd do? Shepherd takes care of His sheep. He makes sure his sheep never go hungry and they get enough water. Not only that. Shepherd also protects the sheep from wild animals to the extent he put his life in front of the sheep to save them. In a very similar way, Jesus makes sure we are fell fed both spiritually and physically. He also protects us from all the harm.
Another very important attribute of a shepherd is he never gives up. If a sheep goes astray, shepherd make sure he searches for them and finds them out at any cost. Jesus, by calling himself a shepherd, carries the same attribute. Many times when we make wrong decisions, we lose our way. We unknowingly or knowingly go astray into the broadway. But Jesus comes searching for us and make sure he finds us. He is a good shepherd.
Dear Friend, what is your decision today? Are you going to follow the narrow way or broadway?. Bible says 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. If you make a choice today to believe in Jesus and willing to take up His way (narrow way), you will regret your decision in eternity. Jesus will take you through as you trust Him more and more. He is the way, gate, and He is a good shepherd. Are you ready? Let’s pray.
Dear God, I come to you today. Help me make the right choices in life. Forgive the wrong choices I have made in the past. Help me believe in you and follow your guidance. Lord, you lead me and teach me the way I should walk. Tell me which direction I should turn and which one I should avoid. Make me wiser. You are the alpha and omega. The beginning and the end. You know the past, present and future. Lord, you guide my life and be with me. Let me always live in your presence. I commit my life to you. Be my Lord and savior. In Jesus’s name, I pray. Amen.
