“The path of Jesus is most certainly narrow, as we will come to see, but . . . with the ever-expanding life of God. At first Jesus’ words seem constraining and restrictive, but . . . hidden within them is unimaginable power. As we enter, we discover a spaciousness for the soul that is difficult to experience from the outside.”- Rich Villodas
“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 7:131-14 (NIV)
“When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.”- Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship
In his Introduction to The Narrow Path: How the Subversive Way of Jesus Satisfies Our Souls, Rich Villodas observes that our culture views narrow as a negative term. Therefore, our culture sees narrow as something to avoid. Rather than something to aspire to. But not so with Jesus.
However, Rich stresses, the narrow way of Jesus gets to the core of what it means to be human, to love well. Consequently, the narrow way focuses our energy on what truly leads to the good life. And that good life consists of a special existence that creates room for God as well as others.
Thus, in this book, Rich takes a detailed look at Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Most significantly, Rich asserts, how you approach this sermon changes everything. Hence, this sermon is:
- not how we achieve salvation; it’s how we demonstrate it.
- a litmus test helping us to assess whether we are following Jesus or someone else.
- an invitation to a different way of seeing, hearing, and being.
- a prompt for us to take inventory of our thoughts, words, and actions to see if they align with Jesus’ glorious vision.
Finally, Rich counsels:
“Choosing the narrow path requires trusting that Jesus knows what’s best for you, even if it conflicts with your assumptions and expectations.”
Today’s question: How does the narrow way create a spaciousness for your soul? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Christian amphibians”