What Inspires Me Today - The Narrow Road

 Finding The Narrow Road

In my personal "Quiet Times" over the past couple of weeks I've been focusing and thinking about Jesus' Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7. As a 50+ year old adult who has moved away from the evangelical church to focus more on my personal faith walk and less on organized religious exercises, revisiting these passages has been so fascinating. They definitely take on new meaning and reveal a lot of insights I missed in the try to conform and be "Christian" periods of my life.

Verses 13 and 14 of this section deal with Christ's message to the crowds to enter through the narrow gate... that the wide gate is broad, through which many people enter and fall into destruction.

Back in the day I saw that as a crystal clear direction that Christ was the narrow path and "the world" was the wide path. This gave me - and I'd say many members of my various churches - a sense of haughty-ness... we were clearly choosing the more difficult, less travelled, Christ's chosen ones route.

Of course that's how we felt.
A quick glance at how many of these "Christians" see themselves and the rest of the "fallen" world makes it very clear that any approval to feel better-than because of your faith is like candy.

But today... my inspiration when it comes to these verses is quite different and applies so much more personally for me - and I think for anyone regardless of faith structure.

Work on yourself.

It's easy to follow where the masses go... to follow the media... to follow our leaders... to listen to whatever trend is trending and whoever is holding court in the public spheres, or in your own circle. That pathway is wide... and so many times we see the destruction it causes. From the limited effects of personal self esteem and worth issues to the larger issues of Mob Mentality, Dumbing Down, and Fascism/Dictatorship/Etc.

Work on yourself.

The narrow path is the one you tread alone, or perhaps with your closest of friends/loved ones/partners.

The narrow path is work.
The narrow path is about your journey.
The narrow path is about your own self discovery. 
And to stay on the Biblical Theme... the narrow path is about God's walk with you, about you, and for you.

Work on yourself.

The rest of the world will be there and you'll be stronger to face it if you..

Work on yourself.

What Inspires Me Today - Faith

 Inspiration: Faith

Or rather, those who act on faith.

I've been thinking about this quite a bit lately. I am inspired by people who find the strength and the gumption to act on Faith.

It's not just about a spiritual or religious faith - though that's important, but more so the idea of being willing to act without the certainty of what lies ahead.  

In some ways we all do this, every day. We drive by faith that our car and path will get us to our destination. We have faith in our coffee maker to brew a cup of coffee for us - good or bad.

But on a larger, grander level, it takes guts to move with power on a greater scale, putting faith in yourself, your colleagues, your family, and/or your higher power.

I think of the Biblical story of Issac, who on faith acted to sacrifice his only son trusting that what God had promised him - a lineage of his own - would come true another way.

I think of the Olympians who push themselves to their limits, following a coach's advice or direction without knowing for sure it will pay off in the end.

I think of those who change careers, move, or exit relationships knowing it's the right thing to do, but not knowing how they are going to even make it another day, or another paycheck.

People who take steps of faith to believe in themselves, and trust in their own future inspire me.

It takes a lot of faith to do that.

And all it takes is a little faith to begin training yourself to have a greater faith for things to come.