Friday, November 7, 2008

The Narrow Gate

This morning's reading was in Matthew chapter 7. At first glance, these scriptures seam like two different teachings. God tied them together for me this morning.

"Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will know them by their fruits." - Matthew 7:13-20 NRSV

For the past few days I have been struggling with being a "professional talker." You know, someone who is considered an "expert" in whatever field, because he/she talks a lot about it, writes a lot about it, puts on seminars or conferences a lot about it, sings songs a lot about it, etc. a lot about it. Not that anyone considers me an expert on anything. I was referring to different people I see on TV or hear on the radio or read on the internet.

I can talk about being a believer all I want. I can talk about reaching out to the lost, helping the poor, feeding the hungry. I can say that a believer should do that everyday. I can talk about living a life pleasing to God; I can sing about living a life pleasing to God; I can blog about living a life pleasing to God. But, am I? This passage really convicted me this morning. Where's my fruit? Am I bearing fruit? Can I make jelly from it? (Jesus Jelly?)

Then I realized that to be a true teacher or prophet, and to bear fruit with my life, that it takes actually entering through the narrow gate and traveling down the hard road. I often ask myself, "Why do things have to be so hard?" Well, the answer is because that is the road that leads to life. Oh. The light's a little brighter this morning. I want to be one of the few who find that road. I want to enter the narrow gate. I want others to come with me. Will you?

2 comments:

  • Anonymous

    Good reminder, babe, that the right way isn't usually the easy way.

    This will make me struggle differently.

    I love you.

    Bridy

  • Anonymous

    I think about these things from time to time. Am I really bearing fruit? Am I really reaching out to others? I'm great at touching the lives of other once they "come into the church." But what about those who never darken a church door? What do I do to reach out to them? The alien, the fatherless and the widow, which is listed in the scriptures as "true religion."

    To be honest, I want to desperately to minister to the homeless in a way that can get them out of being homeless, but I'm afraid to bring a homeless person into my home because I don't want to put my wife and children at risk. I'm responsible for them first, I believe. How do I balance that in a way that allows me to still impact the lives of the homeless while protecting my family?

    I don't even know where to begin. But its something I wrestle with. I guess I just haven't wrestled hard enough.