Summer Driving

[Jesus taught them, saying,] “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 (NIV) 

It’s that time of the year. Summer. Longer days. Shorter nights. It is the season for summer road trips: vacation destinations, family reunions, day trips for sightseeing, picnicking, hiking, swimming—just about anything. The open road is my happy place, whether I am going somewhere or nowhere in particular. 

I am hardly alone. According to Hertz, gas prices notwithstanding, a whopping 64% of Americans are on a road trip this summer. That is a lot of company. More than likely they will be on wider roads—main highways, interstates—crisscrossing the country at 60+ miles an hour on expressways with four to twenty-six lanes. (Interstate 10, the Katy Freeway in Houston, is the widest highway in the world.) 

During his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus describes two entrances that open to roads. One is broad. One is narrow. Wider roads can be blessings when one needs to get there from here by a certain time. Yet they can encourage speeds that bypass beautiful scenery, create pollution-intensifying traffic jams, and induce stress while navigating busy lanes and others whose driving habits can range from obnoxious to dangerous. These wide-road conditions might not be destructive per se, but they can be life depleting. 

Narrow roads have blessings of their own. They provide the chance to appreciate the splendor of trees, streams, and wildflowers. They have far less traffic and can create far less anxiety. In my experience, two-lane roads foster a sense of mindfulness and presence that enables more appreciation of the journey itself. This summer, whether on a physical journey or a spiritual one, opting for the narrow road can be life giving.   

Prayer
Great Way Maker, during summer and any season, lead us on a road that leads to life. Amen.

About the Author
Freeman Palmer serves as Conference Minister for the Central Atlantic Conference UCC.