My journey from a young adult to now has involved many turns, curves, pains, peaks, and valleys. Many of my early choices were enough to make bystanders dizzy. I would strongly recommend against anyone following the highways to nowhere that crosses our straight and narrow path.
I was taught and contentedly set out on that narrow path. However, as a youthful adult, I began testing the exit ramps on those wide-open highways that appeared so fun and fast. Many highways cross the narrow pathway toward heaven, and those on them seem to be having a great time.
In those early years, the narrow path felt slow, lonely, and dull; the highway travelers were going so fast that they did not appear to have time for loneliness, which looked appealing in those moments.
Although I was not hitchhiking, highway travelers would occasionally stop with big smiles on their faces and exuberantly offer highway rides.
At first, I accepted short rides and quickly missed the peace, comfort, contentment, and safety that the straight and narrow path offers; however, the highway rush enticed me, so I occasionally accepted those thrills.
After a while, those highway rides became longer and faster; my adrenaline surged! Eventually, I was navigating those highways, rapidly going nowhere fast, almost wholly losing sight of that straight and narrow path I once cherished.
Quickly, I became one of those highway drivers, with big smiles in my speedy convertible, offering rides to those traveling that straight and narrow path. I spent years with the wind blowing through my hair on highways to nowhere, looking like I was going somewhere fast; occasionally, however, I would miss the peace and comfort I once knew. Sometimes, I felt trapped. I’d remember that narrow pathway, but if I found myself thinking too profoundly, I would stop reflecting and floor the gas pedal.
Periodically, I’d offer rides to someone on the path I once traveled, and with words of wisdom, they would decline even the shortest ride, reminding me of my early years. Their words piqued my curiosity and helped me realize how confused and lost I had become. I found myself admiring their rejection of my offer. After a while, the highway became less intriguing; I longed for the peace, comfort, tranquility, and surety I once had on that narrow pathway.
Finally, I realized getting off those entangled spaghetti highways was necessary; the loneliness was still there, but coupled with emptiness. This would mean a dramatic change on my part, but I knew it was the right choice and began my departure from the highway.
I started my departure with a commitment to change direction, to exit those highways to nowhere and never look back, to return to that narrow path to heaven again. I then studied and learned more about that narrow path and what it was all about. The more I learned, the more I questioned why I had ever allowed myself to accept that first highway ride.
I have great admiration for those few who have said no to those Highway offers and stayed true to that narrow path for most, if not all, of their lives.
My choices taught me that my example and everyone’s examples have tremendous trickle-down effects that influence others.
If we care about family, friends, or others, we need to be mindful of our influence and do our best to serve God as Christ-like examples so that anyone following our lead will realize we are going somewhere. We are on a path that leads to a heavenly home with our creator, where there are no tears, sickness, or sorrow. And that Highway, well, the highway eventually ends in eternal darkness with no hope. Utter darkness!
I am thankful for God’s grace and the path he set for us to follow. For it is by God’s grace, through our obedient faith, that we can be redeemed, or for those not yet IN Christ to become faithful followers of Christ as we hear, believe, repent, confess, and are baptized for the forgiveness of our sins, and begin walking that eternal pathway toward eternal life with Jesus.
- Proverbs 3:5-7
- Proverbs 4:26-27
- Matthew 3:3
- John 14:1–31
- Revelation, 21:4
- Matthew 7:13-14
God First!
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