“Strive to Enter by the Narrow Door”: the Reality of the Christian Life
If we open our eyes to see the Christian journey as it truly is, we may find the sight to be terrifying – and exhilarating.
Luke 13.22-35
He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. And some one said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, “Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the householder has risen up and shut the door, you will begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us.’ He will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from; depart from me, all you workers of iniquity!’
There you will weep and gnash your teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves thrust out. And men will come from east and west, and from north and south, and sit at table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” At that very hour some Pharisees came, and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” And he said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course. Nevertheless I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.’ O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
When I was in college I spent an entire summer at a science station in the Black Hills of South Dakota. This educational outpost was designed to serve the needs of two very different types of students: science majors and science failures. Each summer, the science station community is an eclectic mix of those who are gifted and considering careers in the sciences, and those who have little or no hope of even fulfilling their basic Gen-Ed science requirements.
You can probably guess which category the priest fell into.
Yes, I was there to fulfill my allotment of science requirements in one fell swoop. And I must say my experience that summer really did make science fun! The campus is situated right in the midst of the Black Hills. For astronomy class we would wake up at 2 AM and set up telescopes under the stars. For geology class we would spend entire days exploring the ancient granite mountains, and when we weren’t studying, we would do much the same thing. We spent as much time camping and hiking in God’s classroom, as we did in the log cabin science labs.
Clean cool rivers and a network of trails reach out from the property, inviting adventurous students into the surrounding wilderness. Many a hidden cave or picturesque waterfall awaited discovery and exploration. Several nearby overlooks and rock outcroppings were popular venues for the evening’s dramatic sunsets.
But of all the nearby opportunities for natural adventure, there was one particularly ominous destination that literally stood out above the rest. About a 30-minute hike up a steep nearby mountain stood the infamous Razorback Ridge.
Yes, its name says it all.
Upon my arrival at the science station that summer, word quickly spread of this must-see, must-do, natural wonder. I soon realized – to my great surprise — that crossing Razorback Ridge was some sort of initiation rite for new students. It seemed – from the way folks talked about it – that crossing Razorback Ridge was not an option. And so it was – barely a week into my stay – that a group of “friends” informed me that “we” were going to take on the ridge. Hmmm.
So, being the ignorant fledgling young man-ling that I was, I mustered up as much bravado, machismo, and self-denial as I could, to cover up the fact that – in spite of my long and grizzly beard – I was quite possibly the most chicken 19-year-old male on the planet.
And up we went to Razorback Ridge.
As we climbed up through the rocky forest trail I could feel my optimism straining for something – anything – to soothe the burgeoning terror from deep within. “Maybe it won’t be nearly as bad as people describe it? Maybe there will be a railing? Maybe we’ll get lost and won’t be able to find it! Hey! Maybe I’ll get bit by a rattlesnake and have to go home.” Alas, any hope of a comfortable, safe, reasonable, and civilized experience quickly vanished as our destination came into view.
Climbing up a series of gigantic granite boulders, we came to a clearing – a breathtaking vista actually – and there before us was a thin, rocky path that seemed to just float there in the sky.
Sure enough, the trail along Razorback Ridge narrows to be a mere three feet wide. On either side of the trail is a sheer granite rock face that drops straight to the ground several hundred feet below. If you look straight down one side of the ridge you can see the long blue ribbon of Rapid Creek flowing gently along the bottom of the cliff. If you stand very still you can hear the faint gurgle of the water far below.
Now, there’s usually at least one maniacal adrenaline junkie in every pack of young males, and ours was no exception.
So in those first moments – as I was still struggling not to throw up, fall over, or pass out – my yahoo friend had already skipped and hollered halfway across the ridge. And one by one, the rest of my friends cautiously followed.
Now my memory of crossing Razorback Ridge that day is a little fuzzy. But there are a few things I will never forget.
I remember my experience along that trail being a particularly prayerful time in my life.
In fact, at one point I was literally on my hands and knees; granted this was mostly out of fear and to keep my balance. But still, my crawling along the ridge was an outward and visible sign of my inward and spiritual prayers for deliverance.
Another thing I remember along that trail was my intense focus and concentration.
I scrutinized every loose pebble and fissured rock. I made sure my footing was secure before shifting my weight forward. Every step was filled with great intention. I was keenly aware of the dangerous drops on either side of me.
And lastly, once I began to cross Razorback Ridge, I remember that strong sensation of being committed. There was – as they say – no turning back. Not if one wanted to reach the other side. There was only one way to go.
The same is true for the path of salvation. There is only one way to go. We don’t always see it this way, but in truth, the Christian life is much like Razorback Ridge.
In St. Matthew’s Gospel Jesus says quite plainly, “The gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” In today’s Gospel Jesus bids us to “Strive to enter by the narrow door.”
That word “strive” in the Greek means to struggle, to fight, to do one’s best to compete and to accomplish the task at hand.
So let’s just ask the obvious question here: Why does this journey have to be such a struggle? Why does the door have to be so small, and the path so narrow? Why can’t it be larger, and broader, and easier? Why can’t everyone find it – and finding it, cross safely to the other side? Why would a good God make the path to salvation so difficult?
The answer is that Our Good God didn’t make the path so difficult; we did!
In choosing sin, we have invited and unleashed the spiritual forces of evil into our lives and into this world. We humans have done this both individually and corporately.
The path is narrow then, because of the many dangerous forces that we are up against: sin, and human weakness, and the spiritual forces of evil that seek tirelessly to corrupt and destroy the creatures of God.
The truth is that God wants everyone to find the narrow path, and cross it safely to the other side. This is precisely why he sent his Son into the world: “not to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 3.17)
That is precisely why his Son counsels each one of us to strive – to struggle – to enter through the narrow gate. Jesus understands the reality of the fight we are up against. He understands the reality of the dangers of sin – he sees the cliff edges all around us. His words to us are a loving plea of guidance from the one who knows just how difficult and dangerous the journey is.
It was not difficult for me on Razorback Ridge to take each step with great intention, focus, concentration, and prayer. As you might imagine, these things came quite naturally; the dangers of the path were in full view.
The Christian life is just like Razorback Ridge. And when our eyes are open to the reality of the dangers of temptation and sin that surround us, it is quite natural for us to negotiate the path of salvation in the very same way: taking each step with great intention, focus, concentration, and prayer.
May our eyes be open wide, that we might see with perfect clarity the narrow path of salvation ahead of us: both its dangers and its beauty. And may God give us the grace and courage to persevere in our struggle along its course. Amen.
Related posts:
Dr Holly Ordway came to Christ through reason, in the pursuit of truth. "In your hearts honor Christ as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect" (1 Peter 15).
She writes about her journey from atheism to orthodox Christian faith in her book "Not God's Type: A Rational Academic Finds a Radical Faith" (Moody Publishers).
