The Unpopular Path

"But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, 

and only a few ever find it."

- Matthew 7:14

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As a Mom, my heart is heavy tonight, thinking of our Abby, and the struggles she is facing. She is in 6th grade, just beginning middle school, and she so badly desires to fit in, and be like her peers. 

We have pretty strict rules at home: keeping them from watching most TV shows and movies, not allowing them to listen to music with bad lyrics, making them eat their fruits & veggies, and going to bed early and still take naps on weekends. We do these things, as parents, because we want to protect our girls from things in this world that will hurt them. We keep them from the trash and evil that suffocates our society, because as Christian parents, we need to protect our children from that. We keep them healthy, growing strong, and active so that they grow up right. That's what parents do. 

But for little 12 year old girls, these things are hard to understand. She knows Mom & Dad love her, but she also knows that she wants to be like her classmates and do what they do. She wants to be popular, and our rules, are keeping her from doing that. 

If you're not a parent, you won't understand this heartbreak, but it's so hard to look at our daughter and tell her that the world is mean and cruel, and we're sorry she gets picked on for going to church and for not swearing, but that those things are good, and best, and what God wants. It's hard because part of me  wants her to be the most popular and have the most friends and be accepted by everyone she meets, but the other part of me needs to protect her, and teach her right from wrong. And I know, that in teaching her God's way, she won't be popular. 

That's the part that breaks my heart. Because living the Christian life is not easy. It's not easy for adults, and it's certainly not easy for children. 

Though we know it's the best life, it's not easy. 

As parents, we hope our children will trust us enough to listen to us, and to trust that we know what's best for them. And so far, our girls do pretty well with that. They know that we love them, and we're doing what's best for them, but it's hard, their poor little hearts are so torn. 

I want to protect them from the ridicule, mocking, cruelty & hardship that they'll face being Christians in a non-Christian world, but there's no way I can do that. 

My Children are identifying themselves with Christ, and The Bible promises that those who follow Christ will not live an easy life, because Christ Himself didn't lead an easy life. We are told we'll have troubles, and heartaches, and trials…but it's hard to watch your children struggle, even when you know that ultimately, it's for their good. 

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Today's verse came to mind as I was talking with Abby tonight. Our girls are walking on a narrow path, that their classmates are not walking. Our girls are going one way, while the world is going another. The Bible says that the path to Life is narrow, and only a few will find it. 

But even though the path is narrow, and difficult, we have to remember that our little narrow path following Christ, leads to LIFE. Our path, that only a few will take, leads to eternal life, with a Savior Who died to save us. God's path, though unpopular, is the very best for us to follow, for my girls to follow, and I'm proud of them for taking it. 

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Following Christ, and the narrow road is not easy, but it leads to the very best life we could ever live. When you face trials this week, and you feel like you're all alone in a big world that doesn't agree with you, remind yourself that you're in the very best company, because Christ walked your path first. Remember that the steps you are taking, are leading you to life, and the best life you could ever imagine. 

And in the end, our journey will be worth it, when God looks at us and says: "Well done, good and faithful servant." - Matthew 25:21

And whatever trials we faced here on earth will be forgotten, our battle won. 

That sounds like a happy ending to me.