The Straight And Narrow

I've heard the term 'walking the straight and narrow' all of my life without really knowing what it meant. I always knew if referred to living the right kind of life, but what is the right kind of life and how do you know when you are living it?

Did you know that, without focal points, it is physically impossible for a human being to walk a straight line? Scientists have performed experiment after experiment on this and are at a loss to explain why, but the results are unanimous. We cannot get from point A to point B directly without external points of reference. The results get slightly better when the sun is out because that give us shadows as a reference but it still isn't good. Folks who have been the subjects of these experiments just wander around aimlessly eventually starting to form something that looks quite loosely like a circle.

We can wander around in circles spiritually as well. I see it all of the time in people who choose to believe in many paths to God in order to justify their style of living. It's funny how they can be great, giving, caring people but still miss the mark by so much. The Bible speaks about the straight and narrow in Matthew chapter 7:

13 “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell 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.

You and I need to keep the focal point of Jesus in sight at all times. Without it we are just like the subjects of those experiments, walking through life with no real aim or direction. The only way to that narrow gate is Jesus. The only way. With that in mind, our path becomes straight (even if it still has a few bumps in it along the way) and leads toward the gateway to life.