Matthew 7:13-14

These verses are a bit disconcerting, don’t you think? Especially when we consider who said them—and we know He doesn’t lie. It begs the question: Which road are we on?

The road to God’s kingdom is narrow. This reminds me of a hiking trip I took in California during a conference. We had an afternoon off, so we decided to hike up one of the surrounding vistas along the coast to get a good view of the ocean. The path was very narrow, and you could not walk side by side. You had to be ever vigilant about where you placed your feet because roots and rocks were just waiting to trip you up if you were not careful. We were also traversing ravines with steep drops should you misstep. It took a few hours of focused hiking, but I must say the view was absolutely worth it.

The road to the Kingdom of God is very similar. It takes careful, focused placement of our feet each and every day. We must be on the lookout for impediments that can trip us up—but the view will be out of this world.

The road to hell, however, is easy and paved. The enemy makes it easy to walk his way—no impediments, smooth and comfortable—until he has you. Then it is very difficult to get back on the right track.

Proverbs reminds us to make sure we choose the right road with this guidance:

“There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.”
Proverbs 14:12 (NLT)

We are often wired for comfort and tend to select the less troublesome route—but at what cost?

Many find the road to hell, and few find the road to heaven. That tells me not to follow the crowd.