We Must Lead the Lost to the Narrow Gate

“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 7:13-14 NIV

In an interesting story titled “Meet the Seattle runners and walkers who covered every inch of the city,” published Sunday, the writer said “ Among us is a small group of Seattleites who have walked or run the length of all, or most, of the city’s more than 1,600 public streets. They receive no fanfare or civic award. They are runners who accidentally became some of the most qualified tour guides. Over the course of the roughly 3,300-mile journey, they were chased by dogs, chastised by residents and faced with an endless array of sidewalks that ended abruptly. They mark their progress on CityStrides, a website that logs GPS information from running apps like Strava and displays the percentage of streets completed.”

And, you know, as I read that story I couldn’t help but consider the intentionality every one of the athletes that made up that “small group” had. To reach their goal, they walked or ran every inch of the city, mapping out those places they hadn’t reached and going places where they faced danger. This same intentionality is the very thing every believer needs to have to compel them to walk or run every inch of the city they’re in, purposefully serving as a spiritual “tour guide” to guide the lost along the narrow road that leads to the narrow gate. You see, “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.” And how can they find it if no one leads them to it? 

So, strive to be that small group that lives with the intention of preaching the Good News in every inch of the city or town you’re in my friend. It will take time. It will take effort. But it will be worth it in the end when you see the fruits of your labor in the form of “a few” more people finding that narrow gate. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for the Word that clearly tells us that the easy way of compromise leads to hell. Help us to grasp this fully so that we would be compelled to cover every inch of our cities with preaching and prayer that none would enter the broad gate on the account that we didn’t warn them. It’s in your precious name we pray Jesus amen. 

Happy Running!