It took me a while to figure that one out. Sometimes jokes fly right by me. One of the other ladies helped me understand what she meant. My aim was so good, I hit (drove over) that nail without even trying.
And so it is with life .... if we go around never aiming for anything in particular we are likely to pick up just about anything (good or bad) along the way. But most of us understand the things worth having in this life are worth aiming for ... we have to plan to achieve our goals.
This is true of anything worthwhile. Runners don't win races by accident. Winning football seasons don't just fall into a coach's lap. Relationships don't last without consideration and time put into them. Job promotions don't happen without work. And archers don't consistently hit the bull's eye without practice.
So what is the most important goal we could ever hope to achieve? That would be heaven, of course! An eternity in the presence of our Heavenly Father - life in everlasting love and light - yes, that is definitely worth aiming for. That is a bull's eye we should all definitely want to hit!
How do we go about achieving this most worthy goal? Well, it does take some doing. After all Jesus did tell us there is plenty of room on the road that leads to destruction; but few find the narrow way that leads to life. His words are found in Matthew 7:13 - 14. Read this passage with me from the Easy to Read Version.
13 “You can enter true life only through the narrow gate. The gate to hell is very wide, and there is plenty of room on the road that leads there. Many people go that way. 14 But the gate that opens the way to true life is narrow. And the road that leads there is hard to follow. Only a few people find it."
Be careful what you aim for folks. The gate to hell is very wide. Truthfully, we don't have to aim for anything to get there. It's easy enough. We can go through life without believing in God or anything else. We can believe that it's OK to live any way we want. In other words, just like my good aim with the flat tire - we can wind up on the road to hell without even trying.
Jesus said only a few people find that narrow road. Wow! Have you ever stopped to think about this? Christ came to die for us .. for the world ... for everyone. But His death for our sins is not an automatic "free gift to heaven" ticket. He loves us all and wants us all to get there; but we have to want it too.
So many lessons can be gleaned from this passage -- too many to discuss in one post. We may have to continue these thoughts through another time. Notice Jesus said "Only a few people find it." Well, what do we have to be doing to find something? I suppose that's a no brainer .. we have to be looking for it! That is one lesson Mom taught me about Mary the mother of Jesus.
The angel Gabriel told Mary she had found favor with God. That wasn't some kind of wonderful coincidence. Mary was a young woman who obviously sought to please her God. She loved the Lord and obeyed His command-
ments. She found the Heavenly Father's favor because she wanted it and she looked for it.
Why do we think Jesus said "only a few people" find the narrow road? I think it's basically because only a few people want to find it .... only a select few look for it. God's love and favor is for everyone, but very few ever truly actually seek God's path.
Another interesting question to me about finding the narrow road is why Christ said the road was hard to follow? This passage comes toward the end of what we call the Sermon on the Mount. The sermon starts in Matthew 5 and goes through chapter 7.
The people were astonished at the teachings of Christ that day. (Matthew 7:29) Not only did He speak with authority, but He taught about love and forgiveness rather than eye for an eye. If we consider things Christ taught in this great sermon, it may be easier to understand why He said "the road that leads there is hard to follow."
Christ started off with the beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-11). Those lovely words that tell us we shall be comforted when we mourn, we shall inherit the earth when we are meek, we shall be filled when we hunger and thirst for righteousness. Again, there is the want to ... we have to desire the righteousness before we are filled with it.
Then Christ moves on to something much more challenging. He says we shall be blessed when we are persecuted. Wait -- what? We are going to be persecuted for following you? And on top of this you want me to be glad about it because the prophets were persecuted before us. Well, Jesus - I'm not sure I signed on for this!
Consider other teachings Christ brought out that day:
- Forgiveness .. (Matthew 5:21-24) We can't hold grudges or allow feuds to linger. Before we worship our God, we have to make amends with those who may be angry with us. We have to try our best to be right with our brothers and sisters before we can be right with God.
- Turn the other cheek (Matthew 5:39) Most of us would think this is much, much easier said than done.
- Go the extra mile (Matthew 5:41) In the time of Jesus it was legal for Roman soldiers to force a person to carry their luggage or packs for one mile. But most of us realize how much the Jewish people hated being under the control of the Romans.
- Love your enemies and pray for them. (Matthew 5:44) I wonder how many of the folks who were listening to Jesus had ever done anything like that. How many of us have ever prayed for our enemies?
But He also tells us if we are persecuted for righteousness' sake, we shall gain the kingdom of heaven. (5: 10) If we love and pray for our enemies we will be sons (or daughters) of our Father in heaven (5:45). If we forgive others, our Father will forgive us (6:15) Christ also tells the multitude to ask and it will be given to you. He assures them God our Father loves to give good things to those of us who ask Him. (7:7-11)
Love is the key. Yes these things go against our very grain; but God loves us. He loves us just the way we are. He sent Christ to teach us and to ultimately die for us - to take our sins upon Himself. If we love Him in return, we will seek to find that narrow gate. And because of our love for the Father and the Son, we will gain the strength we need to travel this narrow road.
Why would we even want to try? If this gate is so difficult to find and the road is so hard to follow - why should we bother? Is this really what we want to aim for? The answer would be a resounding yes! This way leads to life - eternal life!
The archer has to practice hour after hour. The runner has to train day after day. The employee has to work for the promotion of a lifetime. If we don't seek God's favor we won't find it.
So what are you aiming for?
Find the gate ... follow the road. As the song says, "Heaven will be worth it all."
Christ above all things,
Robin
