My wife always has an interesting viewpoint on things. We were watching a ball game on TV and the sportscaster said that many fans had actually camped outside the stadium for days waiting to be first in line to get in to watch the game! As Valerie and I looked at the crowd that was jam packed into the stadium, she turned to me and asked jokingly, “I wonder if we’ll ever see the day when people are camped outside the building waiting to be first inside for church service?”
You know, it got me to thinking about what our Lord had to say about following the crowd and where we place our values in life. Jesus said, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life and few there be that find it.” (Matt. 7:13-14)
Listen, there’s nothing wrong with being a part of the cheering crowd at the ball game. It’s certainly exciting to be a part of the audience for the latest new show in town. However, Jesus reminds us that there is an inherent danger of getting too caught up in any of these things. The danger comes when we begin to think that the only things that really matter are those which attract a huge following. Nothing could be further from the truth! Just think how few people turn out to vote during the elections or how few will actually go to donate blood when a blood drive is held. Our priorities and values ought to reflect the things that truly matter in life; not just those that merely entertain!
Now I doubt we’ll ever see the day when people are camped out waiting to get into the church building, it would probably be cause for alarm if they were! But if people truly understood the value of salvation that God offers through Christ Jesus today, even the stadium wouldn’t be big enough to hold the crowd!
Comments