Wide Enough

“...This is the way thou must go.”

“B-b-but... it is so narrow.”

“It was cast up by the patriarchs, the prophets, Christ, and His apostles.”

“But... it is so narrow!!”

“It was wide enough for Christ.” 

“Truly?”

“Aye.”

“Then it be wide enough for me.” 

-------

I stop quoting the venerable Christian and Goodwill* and glance at Sean, walking up the  driveway next to me at the close of exercise. “That’s the spirit, huh, Sean?”

He smiles slow, the way he always does when he’s in thought and I mention anything to do with Jesus.

“That’s the spirit.”

-------

This way, this narrow way, that squeezes my self and is too tight for indulgence; that tells me to serve when I want to sit, to be silent when I want to speak my own words, to be still when I want to run ahead of my God; that has no room for unkindness, impurity, petulance, irritation, impatience, indifference; this is the way I must go. 

And it is the straight way - the way where everything good, true, and pure, everything loving and lovable, everything kind, generous, and noble, everything unselfish and loyal is to be found. It is where life more abundant resides. It is the road to heaven.  

But it is the narrow way. Too narrow for me - with all my self in tow - to fit. Here I cannot watch for myself first. Here I cannot stew over wrongs. Here I cannot love myself more than others. Here I cannot pursue my own glory. Here I must live the will of Another.

Here, the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, must be relinquished. 

Here, I must be relinquished. 

It is narrow.    

But it was wide enough for Christ... truly. 

Then it be wide enough for me.

*Pilgrim's Progress