The Choice Is Yours
What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you look at the featured images above?
Who would want to row their boat in picture 1 (from the left), where it is a narrow river? Not many. It looks scary, surrounded by huge mountains, feels lonely and could be dangerous. Whereas picture 2 is a broad river, looks lively and fun.
Now imagine, I tell you that if anyone rows their boat on that scary-looking narrow river, they will get a fantastic reward after reaching the final destination. But, if they row their boat on the broad river, they will receive a horrifying and dreadful surprise once they reach the final destination. What would your choice be? Any logical mind would prefer to row their boat on the narrow river.
However, while we love the reward of the narrow way, we are not prepared for the sacrifices it requires. Choosing the narrow way brings an incredible reward of eternity in Heaven, but we will have to face trials, troubles, temptations, unpopularity, persecution, hatred, insults, beatings, and in the worst-case scenario, physical death.
Since we are in this world and the flesh constantly battles for supremacy over our spirit, many will choose to walk in the broad way because of the temporary rewards it brings. Many will prefer to serve the devil and turn their backs on God if that would bring money, fame, power, pleasure, nice houses, classy cars, and everything they could imagine. Would you choose to love the world or God? When our love for the world consumes us, we do not think about eternity.
However, the wise set their minds on things above and not on things on the earth. Therefore, they will not care about what the broad way offers because, in the end, eternal death is the only reward.
The Bible says: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” (1 John 2:15-17, NKJV).
Jesus spoke about the cost of following Him in Luke 9:57-62, NKJV:
Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” Then He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.” And another also said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.” But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Jesus never forced anyone, is currently not forcing anyone and will not force anyone to follow Him. He will always speak the truth; it is up to us whether we want to follow Him or not. Jesus never said that it is going to be easy to follow Him. He promised quite the contrary. Matthew 19:21, KJV : Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
Let us imagine a father telling his son, ‘Son, you will face all kinds of troubles, much persecution, problems in your life, and I will make sure you do face them’. It sounds a little bit weird at first, but let us take a minute to think of the heart of that Father. The heart of a good father speaks out of nothing but love. So why does Christ speak these words? He is saying this because He loves us and does not want us to perish.
James 1:2-4, NKJV: My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
Jesus wants us to face these giants to be mature, complete, and lack nothing. God said to Paul:
“My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me (2 Corinthians 12:9, NKJV)
In conclusion, there is a cost associated with following Christ. However, it is up to us to decide whether we are ready to follow Him regardless of the cost. We have to be determined to set our minds on the things above and not on this world. The choice is yours.
