Knowing the Destination

Two Different Paths

Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Matthew 7:13, 14 (NASU)

This well-known Scripture taken from the Sermon on the Mount describes a contrast between two distinct paths of life.

The Eisenhower Tunnel

When this author was traveling the mountains of Colorado, this section of Scripture came to his mind. On Interstate 70, in the Rocky Mountains and stretches of highway which are the highest altitude in the country, one can appreciate the difference between a “wide” and “narrow” path. At the Continental Divide, one meets the Eisenhower Tunnel which extends about 1.7 miles under the mountain side.

This tunnel provides much needed access through otherwise difficult mountains for large amounts of vehicle traffic. The alternate route by US Highway 6 over Loveland Pass, by comparison, is more difficult and treacherous. This small two-lane pass, which reaches a height of about 14,000 feet, is more apt to suffer from snowdrifts, rock slides, and other hazards. Given the conditions, most motorists choose the easier, high speed, and direct path through Eisenhower Tunnel.

Now with motor transportation and safety, such a choice is a prudent one. But if we were to extend the allegory between Christ’s words and these two mountain pass choices, we would also have to change the destination of each option. In many ways the choices of the world in their path relate to the Eisenhower Tunnel. The gate is wide and easy to access in both examples. Once inside the tunnel one is unaware of the outside world around them, which is true for many who live in the world, oblivious to the real spiritual dangers around them. However, while the tunnel deposits a vehicle on the other side of the mountain, the world’s path throws its travelers off a cliff into utter destruction.

Be Aware of the Destination

The key is being aware of and remembering the destination. Would you choose the tunnel or a winding mountain pass? Would it make a difference if the tunnel led to certain death while the mountain pass led to life? That would assuredly make a great difference. Then why is it that so many take the wide path spiritually when they also know exactly where it leads?