The Steward's Path

"Two roads diverged in a yellowed wood
and sorry I could not travel both and be one traveler"  wrote Robert Frost in 1920.  This poem has become my  daily reminder that every day there is choice.  Malcom Muggridge posits that man's free will is governed by his passions and with each choice his destiny is confirmed.  That intrigues me because the path to the Steward's life is full of life choices that begins to narrow and expose what passions are at play.

This is a daily activity for me as I face my own ego's way (which is a dark cage of unclear motives) or  the way marked out by love's sacrifice.  Today, as I did my morning reading, I remembered that Jesus spoke of a broad way and a narrow way.  Many went the broad and open path - so inviting because so many were going that direction so happily.  But, it is the narrow way that leads to life and  few therebe that go that direction.  Perhaps that is because that way is decided on by the individual - alone- without (or even against) the force of the crowd.

The cross was the narrowest of ways, taken by the Master, alone.  Thousands dropped off the path the closer He got to Golgotha.  Could we say that He had been on the broad path for three years with the crowds and the excitement.  He had cut a wide swath over the countryside with teachings, healings and miracles.  Yet, none of that counted towards the changing of a single human being's nature.  At the end of 3 years, He could take no one to heaven with Him....He had nothing to show for all his heroic obedience to teach them Truth.  No man had changed intrinsically preparing Him to live the eternal life.  He had no fellowship with another Spirit-filled man.

There was only one way - sacrificial death that others might have Life.  I cannot compare my daily choices to the one choice that freed mankind from everything which kills him.  But, I recognize the daily choice of serving the Master with everything I have which extends Life to others or join the crowd and enjoy my own life which changes little.  As love for the Lord's gift of Life, His Royal Blood, grows, I know the passion to live as He did impacts which path I choose and moves me closer to my destiny.