“Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” Matthew 7:14
I was watching a group of tightrope walkers this evening as they practiced their craft walking over the Limmat River in Zurich, Switzerland. Their levels of skills varied. Some could walk all the way from one end to the other without any mishaps, while others would fall off every now and then, dropping into the swift current below. Most would climb back up on the rope and try again, but there were some that gave up and allowed the river’s current to sweep them downstream.
The tightrope is a beautiful illustration of the life a Christian is called to live. Jesus said that the gate is “strait” and the way is “narrow” meaning that God’s way of living as described in the Bible is clear and concise, holy and righteous. The Lord has given us explicit instructions on how to live a godly life. Doing otherwise is contrary to the Scriptures and outside of God’s will. Sounds hard, doesn’t it? Well, it is. Just like walking a tightrope, to do it the right way, you must walk straight and narrow. If you don’t walk correctly, you will fall off. In our lives, if we don’t follow God’s ways, we also will fall… into sin.
Sadly, we live in a sinful world, and we tend to “fall off the rope” a lot when we allow sin to creep into our lives. Fortunately, we can get right back on the “strait and narrow way” by repenting and seeking God’s forgiveness. We can be just like those tightrope walkers who fall off, but get right back on the rope again.
Unfortunately, there are also tightrope walkers who fall off and give up. They are the same as those who fall off the godly path of living and are swept away by the allures of sinful pleasures. Choosing a sinful lifestyle over God’s ways will eventually lead to destruction.
Walking a tightrope is not easy, and neither is living a life for Christ, but just as the rewards of successfully navigating the rope are worth the struggle, so is the reward that awaits the Christian who follows in the footsteps of Jesus. Walking the strait and narrow way will eventually lead us to life everlasting with Him.
“Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.” Proverbs 4:26
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If you are struggling to walk the narrow path with Christ, you are not alone. We all have our moments of difficulty. Take it to the Lord in prayer. He’s waiting to hear from you!