The Narrow Way

The gate to personal destruction is wide, and in today’s world, it has never been easier to open. With a single click, we can access a world that tells us exactly what we want to hear, while quietly corroding our souls. This is the essence of modern algorithms—they offer a limitless door to our desires, no matter how base or fleeting.

As a result, the narrow gate becomes even narrower. The evils that surround us have become so commonplace, they barely register. Sexuality, greed, consumerism, radical individuality, the breakdown of families and meaningful connections—they permeate every corner of life. From schools to check-out lines, TV commercials, movies, and social media, these influences are pumped directly into our minds, often without us even noticing. So how does one navigate this?

More importantly, how does one find and pass through the narrow gate—the one that leads away from ravenous wolves and towards bearing good fruit?

The answer lies in the small, everyday moments. Every decision we make—no matter how small—either leads us towards life or towards death, both literal and spiritual. When will I rise in the morning? What will I do with my first moments of wakefulness? How will I spend the hours of my day? What and when will I eat? What will I consume—physically, mentally, and spiritually? These choices determine our path.

The world constantly bombards us with a sensory experience of “wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction.” If living your faith doesn’t make you feel like an outsider to this, it may be time to ask yourself: Am I truly living my faith?

Here’s a challenge for the week. It won’t be easy, but it will reveal much. On one hand, you’ll feel drawn closer to God. On the other, you’ll feel like an outsider in a world obsessed with the wide gate.

1. Pray before every meal, especially when you’re in public.
2. Avoid all media that portrays sexually provocative imagery, whether it’s ads, commercials, or entertainment. You may find yourself unable to watch sports or even scroll through your phone.
3. Attend every service your church offers, arranging your schedule around them, not the other way around.
4. Pray and study scripture with your family every day. Make it a shared habit.
5. Each day, seek out someone in need—a poor or downtrodden person—and do something meaningful for them.

The challenge is on. The gate is narrow, but it is the only way that leads to God.

“Enter by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?”
– Matthew 7:13-16