Small is the Gate

“Enter through the narrow gate. 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.” (Matthew 7:13-14)

I’ve chosen the narrow road.

I’ve picked the small gate.

I have to wonder why Jesus makes a point of one gate being small, one being wide. Does He want us to believe that we have to work harder to get through the small gate?

That only the really special people get to go through?

I doubt it. Doesn’t seem to match anything else He ever said.

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He said that those who seek Him will find Him. And He also said that nobody gets to the Father by their own specialness, but only through Him.

So why the narrow road? Why the small gate?

Why not a little more openness, flexibility?

Big people don’t get through the gate.

The only way to get in is to drop off all the stuff that makes me big — my own specialness,  my accomplishments, my good works, my brilliant spirituality.

My striving and effort and self.

There is only room through the small gate for me to walk with Jesus beside me. I have to slim down, leave the baggage behind. It’s just not wide enough to take my stuff with me. 

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On the narrow road, through the small gate, there is room for me.

And Jesus beside me.

And that’s it.

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