The Gate That Leads To Victory

The Gate That Leads to Victory

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. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. Matthew 7:13-14

When my son Eric was a freshman football player at the University of Oregon, I shared some thoughts with him and his teammates about entering through the narrow gate.

Eric is still irritated with me for that talk.

You see, there are two entrances to the football practice field on the campus. The one nearest to the locker room is the standard entrance, usually used by everyone to go to practice. However, down at the far end, much farther from the locker room, is a second entrance to the field, one with a much smaller entryway.

A narrow gate. Followed by a difficult road.

After hearing me share with the team, and I suppose to make the point that the team that year would be doing more than what was normally expected of them, Oregon’s head coach, Chip Kelly, had them walk every day to the far gate as they entered the practice field. I guess this didn’t make Eric very popular with his teammates.

But it seemed to make the point with the team, as day after day they would head down to the narrow gate, realizing that to be exceptional, to reach the goals they had set for themselves, it would take doing more than what was expected. It would take doing the little things better and more often. It would take entering through the narrow gate—which Christ teaches in this passage is the only way to eternal life. It would take walking on the difficult and hard road that followed—which Christ advises is the way of discipleship filled with persecution and opposition—and would lead to eternal life.

The analogy to their team was easy. And the lesson was clear.

By the way, they also went on to play in the national championship game. As for Eric? Hopefully he isn’t upset with me any longer.

The path through the narrow gate is not always easy, but it’s the most rewarding.

Uncommon Key > There is only one way to obtain eternal life—through the narrow gate Christ holds open to you. Walk through it and follow Him.