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Being in South Africa, one of the first things you'll notice, besides the beautiful views, are all the potholes in the middle of the road. I recently took a business trip to Johannesburg and had to rent a car for the week. This was my first time renting a luxury car and I was extremely nervous about messing it up. Since the car was extremely low to the ground, I had to keep my eyes peeled for every rock or pothole in the road. This made driving extremely difficult.
Oftentimes, I would think to myself, "Is it even worth it? I should just take the car back and rent an Uber." Driving was so difficult that my favorite part about renting the car was when it was parked at the hotel. Based on the words of Jesus, traveling on the road that leads to Heaven is very similar.
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad and easy to travel is the path that leads the way to destruction and eternal loss, and there are many who enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow and difficult to travel is the path that leads the way to [everlasting] life, and there are few who find it." - Matthew 7:13-7:14 AMP
The standard that Jesus set for His disciples was to be willing to put everything to the side for Him -- not considering family or friends, only obedience to what God is telling you.
“If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life [in the sense of indifference to or relative disregard for them in comparison with his attitude toward God]—he cannot be My disciple." - Luke 14:26 AMP
Multiple times, we see Jesus telling people that they are not fit for His kingdom. These instances reiterate the standard of what it takes to be His disciple.
"As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus told him, “Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.” He said to another, “Follow Me [accepting Me as Master and Teacher].” But he said, “Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father.” But He said to him, “Allow the [spiritually] dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and spread the news about the kingdom of God.” Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord [as Your disciple]; but first let me say goodbye to those at my home.” But Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back [to the things left behind] is fit for the kingdom of God.” - Luke 9:57-62
Whenever I hear people ask why anyone would want to turn back from Jesus, the first question that arises in my mind is, "I wonder what road they are on?" If Jesus said that the road which leads to Heaven is very difficult, then why have most of our lives as Christians been easy? Jesus, who we claim to be following, was beaten and crucified, hanging by the nails pierced through His hands and He refers to the road that leads to Heaven as being very difficult. In fact, the scripture tells us it was so hard to follow Jesus that a majority of His disciples left Him.
"When many of His disciples heard this, they said, “This is a difficult and harsh and offensive statement. Who can [be expected to] listen to it?”... "As a result of this, many of His disciples abandoned Him, and no longer walked with Him." - John 6:60, 66
Without Jesus, everyone is condemned to hell. So why would the true path to Heaven be easy? If you have been able to follow Jesus and be comfortable, take vacations, and not do anything that is abnormal to society, then you should check your GPS. I’m pretty sure you’re headed the wrong way.
Question of the day: If Jesus says the road to Heaven is very difficult, but your life as a Christian has been fairly easy, where do you think you’re headed?