A
family of three—father, mother, and small daughter— were at home in Sydney,
Australia, when the house caught fire. They tried to jump through the windows,
but these were barred. Because of the security bars, the firemen could not save
them. The mother and father perished in the smoke and flames. The daughter
later died in the hospital.
HOW sad that this family died because of
installations that were supposed to protect them! It is a comment on our times
that this family is not alone in having its home safeguarded by bars and
security locks. Many of the neighbors also have homes and properties resembling
fortresses. Why? They are seeking security and peace of mind. What a blight on
a “free” society when people feel safe only when cooped up like prisoners in
their own homes! In a growing number of neighborhoods, children can no longer
safely play in a nearby park or walk to school unescorted by a parent or some
other adult. In many areas of life, freedom is evaporating like the morning
dew.
A Changed Pattern of
Life
The days of our grandparents were different. As
children, they could usually play where they liked without fear. As adults,
they had no obsession with locks and bars. They felt free, and to some degree
they were free. But our grandparents have seen the spirit of society change
during their lifetime. It has turned colder, more selfish; in many places love
of neighbor has been replaced by fear of neighbor, which contributed to the
tragic event mentioned above. Paralleling this growing lack of freedom has been
a steady deterioration of moral values. Society has become enamored of a “new
morality,” but in reality, a situation has now been reached where it is hard to
see any morality at all.
A former lecturer in education at the
University of Queensland, Dr. Rupert Goodman, writes: “Young people are
now exposed to a different, hedonistic . . . lifestyle where the ‘self’
is central: self-indulgence, self-awareness, self-fulfilment, self-interest.”
He also says: “Values such as self-control, self-denial, hard work, thrift,
respect for authority, love and honour of parents . . . are foreign
concepts to many.”
Indeed a Broad Way
Those familiar with Bible prophecy are not
surprised at this widespread self-centeredness, for Jesus Christ warned his
listeners: “Broad and spacious is the road leading off into destruction, and
many are the ones going in through it; whereas narrow is the gate and cramped
the road leading off into life, and few are the ones finding it.” (Matthew
7:13, 14) The first road, with ample room for many travelers, is “broad”
because it is not restricted by having Bible principles govern morality and
everyday living. It appeals to those who like to think as they please and live
as they please—with no rules, no commitments.
True, many who have chosen the broad way
claim to enjoy their freedom. But most of them are driven by a common spirit of
selfishness. The Bible says they are governed by “the spirit that now operates
in the sons of disobedience.” This spirit moves them to live “in harmony with
the . . . flesh, doing the things willed by the flesh,” whether that
be immorality, abuse of drugs, or ruthless pursuit of wealth, prestige, or
power.—Ephesians 2:2, 3.
The Broad Way Leads
to Disaster
Note that those traveling on the broad way
are driven to do “the things willed by the flesh.” This shows that they are not
free at all—they have a master. They are slaves of the flesh. And serving this
master can lead to many problems—pandemics of sexually transmitted diseases,
broken homes, bodies and minds that are sick from drug and alcohol abuse, just
to name a few. Even acts of violence, burglary, and rape find their roots in
the self-centered thinking nurtured on this permissive broad road. And, while
this “road leading off into destruction” continues to exist, its fruits will
become ever more hurtful.—Proverbs 1:22, 23; Galatians 5:19-21; 6:7.
Consider two real-life examples from
Australia. Mary gave in to temptation, misusing addictive drugs as well as
committing immorality. But the happiness she sought eluded her. Even after
having two children, her life seemed empty. She reached her lowest point when
she learned she had contracted AIDS.
Tom was hurt in a different way. “I grew up
on a church mission in north Queensland,” he writes. “At 16, I started drinking
heavily. My father, uncles, and friends were all heavy drinkers, so it seemed
the natural thing to do. I got to the stage where I would drink anything, from
beer to methylated spirits. I also started betting on horses, sometimes losing
most of my hard-earned wages. This was no small amount, for my work at cutting
sugarcane paid quite well.
“Then I married and we had children. Rather
than face my responsibilities, I did what my friends did—drink, gamble, and
fight. I was often locked up in the local jail. But even this had no effect on
me. My life was a downhill slide. It was a mess.”
Yes, by giving in to wrong desires, Tom and
Mary hurt not only themselves but also their families. Sadly, many other young
people tend to be seduced by the liberal, misguided spirit of freedom offered
on the broad road. If only young ones could see through the veneer, the
charade. If only they could see the realities of the broad way—the harsh taxes
that all traveling on it must eventually pay. True, it is broad and easy to get
onto. But its very broadness is its curse. The course of wisdom is to take to
heart the undeniable fact that “he who is sowing with a view to his flesh will
reap corruption from his flesh.”—Galatians 6:8.
There is, however, a better choice. It is the
narrow road. But how restrictive, how cramped and narrow is this road? And
where does it lead?
For the answer, please request a visit from
one of Jehovah’s Witnesses at www.jw.org.
LEARN MORE: www.jw.org