Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

During my time as a boarding school student in Zambia, once a month those of us in the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade would walk to the local church. We, along with a couple teachers, would walk across the bridge to the school and down the road for a couple kilometers to get to this small local church where we couldn't understand a word they said, but sang along since we all knew the songs and had the little song books the teachers passed out. After the service, we would walk back to the school. Now the road was mostly gravel and dirt since the school truck had driven along it so many times and every semester the caravans of parents would drive up to pick up their children at the end of semester, or drop them off at the beginning. For a back-country road in the middle of nowhere it saw a lot of use. It was a nice, easy road to walk. The trees shaded the road and the fences kept the cows out of it. However, we boys found another route and we would ask the teachers' permission to take our route home. They usually agreed with the only stipulation not being late for lunch (which was not a good idea in any case).

Our route took a different track. We would follow a set of well-worn ruts up towards the local large farmer's place, but then at a certain spot we would turn aside and cross a fence into the cow pastures. To cross the fence was a little cattle gate and a small “L” shaped section of fencing on the other side. The gate was only big enough for one person to get through, and anyways, the cows could not get enough room inside that little “L” to turn and even try and cross the cattle gate. Through the little gate we would go and then hike cross country avoiding the bulls and the cow patties, dressed in our Sunday best. Down hills and up others. Through rocks and puddles, our little way would wind until we would arrive at another fence, which we would climb (if we were at the wrong spot) or go through a similar gate to the one earlier (if we were at the right spot). We would then be on the school's airstrip which we would run down, laughing at each other and then take the path to the school, where we would race into the dorm, comb our hair, wash our face and run just in time for lunch.

Our hike was longer and more strenuous than the easy walk on the “main” road, but those hikes were always more fun and fulfilling than the boring, easy walk with the teachers and girls. Life is similar. We can take the easy way, the well-worn path with lots of people around and take the less strenuous route, or we can take the longer, harder, mostly non-traveled path. That little path can be tricky. If you stray just a little bit you could end up stepping in a cow-pie or soaking your shoes in a puddle. You could take a misstep on the rocks and fall down, scraping yourself up, or you could take a turn and find yourself face to face with a disgruntled bull. That wide road then seems the better choice, but if you take it, the easy walk, the gentle shadows on the road, the smoothness of your efforts and the loss of adventure takes its toll. You always find yourself wishing for more, wondering why you didn't take the risk and have yourself a little adventure.

In our walk with Christ, In our seeking for Godliness and Christ-likeness, let us remember that the greatest adventure is the hardest to travel. We have already chosen Christ and forsaken the world. Let us endure the hike and press onwards constantly. The blisters will heal, the scrapes and scratches will fade, the mud will wash off, and Christ himself shall hug us with arms outstretched and then wash our feet and faces when He welcomes us Home!

Up, and away, while the blush of the morning
Tips every leaf with its pure, bright ray;
Up, while the springtime the earth is adorning,
Come, while the Savior is calling today.