Stop Taking the Easy Way Out
Have you ever known anyone who always takes the easy way out for everything? When I was growing up I thought it was cool to take the easy way of doing things, I avoided most things if it even looked hard. But as I grew up God planted this knowledge in my heart: You get out of life what you put in to it. It is a lesson that applies to every area of our lives. This applies to how we talk (our speech), our jobs (the way we work), our marriages, every relationship we have! Most failed marriages are due to the fact that somebody refused to put forth the right amount of effort and instead chose to take the easy way out.
The “path of least resistance” isn’t always the best path to take. Ever read the verse about the “broad road” and the “narrow road?” Go to Matthew 7:13-14, granted this verse speaks on salvation but the message is a great application to all areas of our lives. “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
Below are my thoughts (in red) with an article written by David Bohl:
When we travel the broad road we compromise our beliefs rather than fight for what is dear to us. We may not even know yet what is really important. Traveling the broad road means not having to make difficult decisions. Instead, we bestow the power to make those decisions on someone else, burdening them with our responsibilities. I see so many men doing this to their wives today, some knowing but many unknowingly by failing to be the spiritual leaders God has called them to be. God has called all of us to live in truth, honesty, and integrity. Or we make the choices that lead to a more comfortable life, but provide little in the way of fulfillment. The broad road may provide a sense of achievement through the accumulation of riches, but such a road leaves the soul wanting for a life with deeper meaning.
Taking the narrow road is usually the more difficult choice, and involves selflessness and personal awareness. This road is not for the selfish or faint of heart, as it involves giving of yourself for the good of others. Although the narrow road can be a challenging one, it is full of rewards along the way that provide great happiness and fulfillment. When you come home from work, exhausted from too many hours in the office and not enough hours spent sleeping, and your little boy asks you to play ball with him, you are being asked to choose between the broad road and the narrow road.
Those who travel the broad road will divert the child’s attention to something else, while the person traveling the narrow road will go outside and savor the opportunity to play. Likewise when you see a friend engaging in unethical behavior at work or at home, you are being asked to choose between the broad road and the narrow road. Those on the broad road will choose to ignore the behavior, as long as it does not involve personal repercussions. The person traveling the narrow road will feel compelled to address the issue with his/her friend and help them in order to bring reconciliation back into their lives.
There are many decisions to be made in life, all of them are placed at our feet so we may learn to develop a strong moral character. We are constantly being asked to choose between the broad and the narrow road, and can stray off of either path quite easily. For some people, knowing the difference between the broad road and the narrow road can be a challenge. A simple way to decide which path you are on is to ask yourself if the actions you are taking provide any benefit to others. This is particularly important when it comes to decisions regarding family, and the person who is serious about personal development will make the choice that benefits the family.
The most important aspect of personal development with regard to the narrow road is wanting to make the difficult decision. When this happens, you realize the value in traveling the narrow road and are open to the wondrous experiences that traveling this little inhabited path might provide. You realize that life cycles through prosperity and challenge, and you are open to fully experiencing both.
Be the Blessing
