Narrow Gate

While I was in Korea, I visited Changdeokgung Palace in Seoul. On the guided tour, we walked down to the gardens behind the palace. There our guide pointed out a set of three gates. The one in the center was taller and wider and the two beside were shorter, skinnier, and slightly obscured by shrubbery. The idea was that the king would walk through the center gate and those accompanying him would need to walk through the others, bowing as they entered as a sign of respect. Everything in the palace was set up so the kind had his own 'walkway', stairs, and even gate.

I've been reading through Matthew recently and this verse jumped out to me after my visit to the palace: Matthew 7:13-"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it."

I suppose this is a limited connection, but I once heard someone share on this passage that the speculated that instead of the narrow gate being skinny, perhaps it was short. This would require that those who would desire to enter would need to lower themselves to enter, an act of humility.

How much more likely I am to walk along proudly until I hit the door posts of life so to speak where God teaches me humility than to choose a life of humility. In my life at least, I see how rampant and insidious pride is--it penetrates every area of my life.

Perhaps the king's attendants would have naturally chosen to bow when passing through gates with the king, but the different sizes of gates served as a reminder for them. May we take the opportunity God provides to choose humility and allow God to grow that in our lives instead of continuing to bang our heads on the door posts that come our way.