Have you ever known God to say ANYTHING without good reason? “But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:14.

Whilst, on one hand, God says that “FEW” find the narrow way that leads to life, on the other hand, does God not also say: “Come to Me, “ALL” you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest“? And in the same breath, does He not also say: “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light“? Matthew 11:30.

If the narrow way is so HARD to find and so HARD to walk in, then when God says: “My yoke is EASY and My burden is LIGHT”, do these two statements not seem to contradict one another? In fact, no. They are not contradictory. For it is easy for ALL to come to the Jesus (as Saviour). This yoke is easy. But it is much more difficult to pick up our cross and follow Him up the mountain (as Lord). This is the small gate and the narrow way. And this is the narrow way that leads to life.

Only a few find this small gate. And when they do, only a few walk in it. This narrow way is the way that leads to life, for it is the way that leads to the eternal power and divine nature of God being made manifest in our lives now, whilst still on this side of the curtain of all eternity. Which is when we pick up our cross and follow Jesus up the mountain of life as Lord. We find life when we appropriate the nature and power of God our Father. Which we can only do when we die to ourselves. Which is what we need to do in order to take on His nature. For there is life in His nature and power. When we come to Jesus as “Saviour”, we find REST. But when we come to Jesus as “Lord”, then over and above that rest, we then also find LIFE.

Few are able to find the narrow way. And even if they do find the small gate to it, few are able to enter the gate and walk in it. Because few are able to find the way and the truth and the life of truly loving their neighbour as God loves us. “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34. It’s really hard to do that. Because it takes laying down our own lives to put others first. For is it not written: “Truly, truly, I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a seed; but if it dies, it bears much fruit“? John 12:24.

Is this not what it means to pick up our cross and follow Jesus up the mountain? For did Jesus not pick up His cross and carry it up the mountain? Was it not at the top of the mountain that on that cross Jesus laid down His life? And because Jesus laid His life down on His cross, was it not at the top of that same mountain that Jesus then found life, and life abundantly? And was it not for others that He laid His life down? For is it not written: ““For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: "Love your neighbour as yourself””? Galatians 5:14.

It means putting others ahead of ourselves despite them not first loving us. And is this not what Jesus did? For is it not written: “We love because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19. It means being faithful to the high calling of love despite the feedback loop of others not being faithful to us. For didn’t Jesus blueprint this example immaculately? Has He not shown loyalty and faithfulness to us all when we all turned our back on Him by choosing our own way and our own truth and our own life? Has Jesus not always been the perfect example of faithfulness? For is it not written that I will never leave you nor forsake you? Is that not the standard of faithfulness? And are we not all loved without beginning and end? For is our Father Himself not without beginning and end? How can we claim to be sons and daughters if we don’t walk in the same footsteps of our Father? Which is to love in the power of His nature. Which is to love without end. Which is to love without ceasing even when we are not loved back. Which is to lay our lives down for our neighbour.

It’s easy to love when all is going well. It’s easy to be faithful when all is good. But is it not true love that loves when things are not going well? Is it not true love that is faithful when all is not perfect? And is this not what Jesus has done for each and every one of us? Has He not loved us even when we did not love Him back? Has He not been faithful to us when we have not been faithful to Him? Is this not what it means to lay your life down and love your neighbour as yourself? Which is as God loves you? Which is to love your enemy and to pray for those who spitefully use you? Matthew 5:44. For before we grew to love Him, were we not His enemy? And yet, did He not love us completely anyway? Is it not rightly said: “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.“ Luke 6:32-35.

And is THIS not why Jesus says: “But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it”? Matthew 7:14.

Therefore, let us be like Jesus. Which we can only be if we pick up our cross and follow Him up the mountain. The mountain that leads to life through loving our neighbour as ourselves. For is it not written: “Beloved, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” 1 John 4:7.