¹³ “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell [the road that leads to destruction] is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. ¹⁴ But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.

Matthew 7:13-14

Dear God, I was with a group of men last night who are dealing with legal issues of one sort or another. All of differing degrees of seriousness. The meeting always starts with an icebreaker, and the question last night was, “Talk about a pivotal moment in your life.” About a third of the room talked about getting sober and the events (usually terrible) that led up to it. About a third of the room talked about a child being born and the realization that they needed to be a father for this child. I was actually both excited and embarrassed to tell them mine. It was back in July 1987 when I went to a Leadership Conference put on by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Hardin Simmons University in Abilene, Texas. It was there that I broke the cycle of just accepting you as savior and was actually taught to walk through the narrow gate.

The hardest part about having found the narrow gate is trying to describe it to others and encouraging them to find it too. I want for these men to discipline themselves into discipleship. I want my friends who haven’t found the narrow path to find it. Some young people look at my wife and me as “goals,” but they aren’t willing to do the work it takes to be who we are. And who we are isn’t perfect. We have our problems, sorrows, and laments. But we also have a sense of peace in you. I feel so loved and cared for by you even though everything isn’t perfect. My life could be, however, so much worse.

Father, help me show these men the narrow gate and know how to invite them to it. Help me to show them the narrow path and invite them to it. Help me to find the path today. Help me to die to myself, give up my agenda for this day, and embrace the activities you have for me. Help me to love others well. Help me to love you well.

I pray all of this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen