Two Roads: Life and Death
"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."
In high school, I was introduced to Robert Frost’s The Road Not Taken. Most people, myself included, remember only the conclusion: that the road few take yields the greatest rewards. We use it as an anthem for risk-taking. However, Jesus also spoke of two roads, though He identified them as life and death. As Matthew 7:13–14 says: "... 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 few find it."
Today, a sense of discontent permeates everything. Domestically, college feels insecure, student loans are crushing, and the price of common goods is too high. Globally, we see war, corruption, and injustice. It is easy to conclude that all roads lead to despair. Even those who "have it all" often succumb to hopelessness. If you feel this way, you are not alone. Solomon—the wisest and wealthiest man of his time—felt the same.
The Search for Meaning
Sandwiched between Proverbs, a book about wisdom, and Song of Solomon, a book about love, we find Ecclesiastes, a book with a roller coaster of emotions which is written more like a stream of consciousness. Solomon contrasts the rich and the poor, the wise and the fool, the joyful and the sorrowful and the righteous and the wicked.
Solomon concludes that no matter where you fall, the uncomfortable fate of all is death, justifying his cry of "meaninglessness." Meaning is central to human existence and we spend our entire lives searching for it or creating it. This sentiment highlights a powerful biblical theme: the subtle pursuit of man to become the god of his own life. Jesus asks in Matthew 16:26, "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?" From bitter experience, Solomon agrees. Without God, gaining the world is empty. At various points in our lives, whether conscious or unconscious, we choose between two paths: one pursues God; the other pursues being God. One yields to His authority; the other strives for earthly power.
The Narrow Road
Solomon serves as the blueprint for where our hearts lead when we live on our own accord. Human nature drives us to seek satisfaction and avoid death through self-preservation or self-promotion. The more successful we become, the greater the disappointment when we realize complete satisfaction is never attained and death’s grip cannot be avoided. At the end, we all return to dust.
However, Jesus offers a different road. He says in John 14:6: "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." His path may not save you from economic shifts, human suffering, or the general unfairness of life, nor does it promise the false security of material wealth. Instead, it offers the one thing we truly want: life — eternal life. This flips Solomon’s analysis on its head and gives life true meaning.
"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."
One day, my son will read Frost's poem. He may be inspired to stand apart from the crowd or pave his own way. Ultimately, it is my duty to guide him toward the one that leads to life.
