Leaving the Crowd Behind

It's hard going against the crowd.

I remember in college, often my friends would meet to go to the cheap-o movies.  A movie theater in town showed second-run movies (movies out of main theaters but not quite on DVD) for a discounted price (usually $2 a movie), so it was a cheap night out for a bunch of college students.  We'd meet up at the theater and pick a movie to watch.

I have to tell you, I watched a lot of movies I had no desire to see.  I even watched some of them more than once.  I enjoyed the fellowship with friends more than I enjoyed the film I was watching.  I saw some truly terrible films in the name of friendship.

There's nothing wrong with making sacrifices in the name of friendship.  Seeing some bad movies in order to hang out with friends is a small price to pay.  The conversations and late-night dinners afterwards always made it worthwhile.

But what if the choice was much harsher than seeing a movie.  In Matthew 7:13-14, Jesus tells us that there are two paths on our journey of life.  One path is broad and leads to destruction.  Many people take that path.  The other is narrow and leads to life.  Very few people find it.

The narrow path is the one less traveled.  Not many people will go that way.  Some of your friends will chose to walk the broad path.  It's fun.  It's where the crowd is.  It's full of noise and celebration and acceptance.  It's what they're comfortable and familiar with.

"Come on," they'll say.  "We're having so much fun.  You can stay a while longer."  They'll entice you to stay and join them on their path to destruction.  If everyone else is headed there, it may seem like the place to be.  It's not.

They won't want to join you on the narrow path.  That path means following Jesus with everything that you've got.  Not many people traverse that road.  If not so many are going, it's hard to get others to join in.  You may have to say "no" to certain choices.  You will seek God's direction instead of your own.  You will do things that others will say doesn't make sense.  Not everyone can follow that path.

Can you leave your friends behind to follow Jesus?  That's a tough question.  It's also a real one.  We don't always talk about this in Christianity, but often choosing to follow Jesus means choosing to leave others behind.  Not everyone will join you on the path.  The hard part is you can't make them join you either. 

If you follow Jesus, some of your friends may not understand.  Some of them - not all but some - may choose to end the friendship. 

Jesus says narrow is the path to life.  Not everyone will follow you to salvation.  Some may not want to give up the crowds or the lifestyle or the direction of their life. 

Jesus says few will find it.  Some of your friends won't even look.

So, are you willing to follow Jesus at all cost?  Will you take the path less chosen?  Can you leave behind those who try to bring you back to the broad path?

Narrow is the path of life.  Few will find it.  Be one of the few.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Devotion to a false god

Image
Last week, at Disney World, I went to retrieve our stroller from the stroller parking section.  As I searched among the hundred or so strollers, I finally found mine and started to move it.  As I pulled, it snagged on a woman's garment.  Panicked, I looked up and saw it was a Muslim women in full Muslin dress.  Her body was completely covered.  Only a slit for her eyes was visible.  I was careful not to yank, and I tried to apologize as the hook of the handle caught part of her garment.  She didn't say a word and we both quietly went on our ways. As I walked away, I felt pity on her.  For one, it's Disney World in June in Florida.  I strode along in shorts and a very thin T-shirt.  Both were soaked in sweat.  I had already consumed two bottles of water and still felt weary.  She was dressed head to toe in heavy garments.  I can't imagine how hot she was pushing a stroller with two kids through a mass of people in hum...
Read more

Bearing Responsbility

Image
I remember when my daughter was first born. Amid the excitement and joy came an overwhelming feeling.  This baby, which I held in my hands, was now my responsibility.  When she got sick, needed feeding, required a diaper change, or had to be corrected and taught, those responsibilities fell to me as her father.  In a matter of a few minutes, I had been entrusted with a new life on planet earth. Looking back on that day six years ago, I was excited but scared.  Yet, that is nothing compared to the responsibility Joesph must have felt.  Joseph was a righteous man, according to scripture, and he knew one thing for certain - Jesus was not his biological son.  Thus, he planned to divorce Mary quietly and be rid of the whole matter. And before we vilify Joseph, know that he could have done much worse.  By law, Mary could have been stoned to death.  His divorce was a form of mercy.  She would live and he would be rid of the stigma of an unfait...
Read more

Following Jesus' Example

Jesus was not a convential man. Often, when Jesus taught, he challenged the status quo.  He also liked to use object lessons and parables to illustrate his points about faith and a relationship with God. One night after dinner, during the last week of his life before the resurrection, he finished eating, took off his outer garment, grabbed a towel and started to wash the disciples' feet. Stunned, Peter protested, but Jesus said it had to be done.  He had to allow Jesus, his rabbi, his teacher, his Lord, to become a servant and wash Peter's dirty, worn feet.  So he did.  Jesus washed all their feet that night.  Then he said:  You need to do this too. Too often in Christianity today, there is an attitude of moral superiority.  We love to build beautiful church buildings, boast of our attendance, brag about our programs and talk about the money we give.  At the same time, we turn our nose up to the alcoholics and drug addicts and homeless and...
Read more