Love Has a Name

I chuckled as I wrote this title. What a crazy title and it’s probably a stretch to go from there to the Bible, but hey, Jesus raised a dead body and that’s pretty crazy.

So here it goes.

Living in Southeast Asia I’m no longer a stranger or even an acquaintance to ants. Instead I have become a roommate to them. We exist in the same room day in and day out. Not a day goes by when I don’t see a line of ants somewhere. I have at times exterminated them and others I have let scurry around.

I don’t just eliminate all ants, instead I attempt to control their habits. Instead of allowing them to come along my countertops and near my bedroom or living room, I keep their colony contained to the windows and doors and let them scavenge for food near the garbage cans.

If you can’t beat them, join them! I am also roommates with spiders, geckos and grasshoppers, cockroaches and the odd fly and moth, but that’s a different topic.

Having said that, the ants are clearly winning the battle, and one day I sat and watched them. I observed as they went about their business of seeking food and building up their home. I noticed the seemingly weird behaviour when I started noticing them kiss each other.

Well, in fact they aren’t stopping for the odd make-out session along the way, but instead they are communicating and speaking to one another. Sharing information about food nearby, water nearby and other important ant-related information.

I also then noticed they walk along almost an identical pathway. Only varying slightly. While I was laying on my stomach on the cool concrete floor watching ants say hello and goodbye hundreds of times a minute I was reminded of Scripture.

Matthew 7:13-14 reads,

¹³ “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. ¹⁴ Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

I watch the ants and from my perspective I can see shortcuts and faster ways to get to their destination. I can simply turn my head and see the faster way to get to the dead moth or morsel of fallen bread.

Yet, they seem to not care and continue along their safe pathway. Not a single ant straying from the way. Taking the long, but safe, way.

This is a lot like what Jesus tells us in the Gospel of Matthew about the narrow way. He tells us to follow His ways which is the narrow gate. Jesus warns that this is the more difficult path but that it leads to life. However on the contrary the wide open easy path leads to death.

The ants could easily walk straight across the open floor and to their food. Yet, they curve and maneuver their ways around chair legs, tables and plants to get to it.

Why?

I can say from my observations that clearly because it is safe. It has been tried, tested, true and leads to life. They know that going through the middle of the floor means they will be sprayed or baited with poison. (Probably not consciously but through their lived experiences they know this.)

If someone walked up to you today and gave you all the answers you were seeking would you be happy? I would argue yes. Now what if they said, “all your answers are available, and even more than you could even imagine, however, you must take the long way around the mountain on horseback and it will be cold, rainy and at times uncomfortable.”

There is also a new, massive highway with a high-speed, first-class train that runs directly under the mountain through a tunnel.

Suddenly the horseback ride doesn’t seem so appealing.

Which way do you take? Jesus warns us that most will take the fast and easy way, unfortunately this way leads to death.

Take a moment to think about your life. Have you ever overcome an obstacle? A big challenge? Did you feel accomplished, successful and rewarded after enduring trials and hard work?

I know I have! Now imagine the same situation. Same challenge, but instead of working hard to achieve it, someone just gave you the answer. Perhaps you’re still grateful for overcoming, yet, at some level you don’t feel accomplished. You didn’t learn anything and you can’t lead others to the same success.

You can’t help others overcome if you’ve never overcome.

This is life as a Christian. It is hard. It is long. Until the day we take our last breath we must walk the narrow, difficult pathway. Along the way, we greet people, share information and help to lead them on the narrow path to the narrow gate.

We also follow those ahead of us who have gone the tried and tested way. Ultimately, this way is Jesus, but hundreds of millions, if not a billion, have gone before us and proven it possible.

Thankfully for Jesus when we wander away from the narrow path, we are corrected, disciplined and guided back by the Holy Spirit.

Today’s society promotes the quick, easy way. Diet plans, surgery, self-help seminars are everywhere.

Just eat this and BAM lose 150 pounds. Well that usually lasts a short time.

Go for this surgery and look younger. Until you’re 50 years older than it still sags.

Listen to a self-help seminar and you’ll be happy. For a few months, then do it again.

Follow Jesus, seek Him and His ways, it will be a little more difficult but the effects are eternal.