5 signs you’re on Jesus’s “narrow road” at work

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 the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (Matthew 7:13-14)

Jesus made clear that the “narrow road” of following him is costly (see Luke 14:25-33). So one helpful question to ask to discern whether you’re on the “broad” or “narrow” path is this: What is your Christianity costing you?

I can’t say that my faith has always cost me that much professionally. But the more serious I get about following the way of The Way at work, the higher the material cost (and spiritual blessing) tends to rise.

For example, I recently set a new goal that led me to retool my criteria for which speaking engagements I’ll accept. But when I made that decision, I already had a full calendar of events that didn’t meet my new criteria.

Trust me, I was very tempted to cancel those speeches. But Jesus said, “let your yes be yes.” Period. Not, “let your yes be yes so long as it serves your goals.” So I kept my commitment to those event organizers—a decision that is costing me greatly in this season. 

While Christ’s sacrifice alone is what paved the narrow road to salvation, my sacrifice is a sign that I am on that eternal path.

So let me restate the question for you this morning: What is your Christianity costing you? Here are some answers that may be signs that you are indeed on Jesus’s narrow road:

1. You’ve kept your “yes” even when it hurt
2. You’ve spent relational capital for the sake of sharing the gospel 
3. You’ve said “no” to lucrative travel so you can be home to disciple your kids 
4. You’ve risked career advancement to stand up for God’s kingdom values
5. You’ve endured misunderstanding or mockery for your convictions

In short, you’ve followed the way of The Way at work. You have suffered in the micro what Christ suffered in the macro to make the narrow gate he now invites you to walk through. 

Now, the signs above are far from exhaustive, of course. But I hope you see yourself in one of them.

If not, and you fear you might not be on the narrow road, please hear this: Jesus is saying that true salvation is rare, but not hard to achieve. Because he has already achieved perfect righteousness for you on the cross. And he offers entry to the narrow gate to anyone willing to accept his free gift of eternal life and live for his glory rather than their own.

That decision will cost you greatly. But it will gain you exponentially more: eternal life with the Source of eternal love and joy.