The Narrow Path by Rich Villodas 

'An excellent devotional book which concentrates on how Jesus lived out the Sermon on the Mount... the contrast between nominal faith and devotional discipleship'

The Narrow Path
By Rich Villodas
Hodder and Stoughton
ISBN 978 1 39982047 9
Reviewed by Martin M’Caw 

This is an excellent devotional book which concentrates on how Jesus lived out the Sermon on the Mount and how we can best follow his steps along the path of life. The overall contrast between the broad and narrow paths is not between magnanimity and narrowmindedness, but nominal faith and devotional discipleship. 

The book has two main sections – Understanding the Narrow Path and Walking the Narrow Path. The latter covers 12 sections. The ones that stand out for me are Our Witness, Anger, Desires, Anxiety and Enemies. Rich Villodas  shows how Jesus’ path of life covers our emotional as well as our moral aspects of life. For example the degree to which we live in truth is the degree to which we live in the path of Christ.

Reviewing how we follow Jesus by taking time to concentrate on a few sections at a time makes The Narrow Path a positive spiritual therapy. The chapter headings point the way, but the 91 subheadings clarify the scenario, helping us take one short reflective step at a time.

While it can be read all in one go, to do so could turn all the informative and helpful sub-sections into a misty blur so the focus of the book loses the path. 

The sub-headings in part two include: The Blesseds of the Sermon on the Mount, Salt of the Earth, Light of the World, Oaths, Promises and Integrity, Money Clouds Moral Judgment and Money Damages Relationships, Eschatological Judgment, Resisting the Hierarchies of Sin, Discovering and Doing God’s Will. These and other sub-sections provide much thought for self-examination and checking where we are on the narrow path.

In the final section Villodas sums up life on the narrow path as meditating on Jesus teachings. It is much more than loading our minds with Bible verses, and trying to be ‘spiritually elite’. It’s about ‘slowly chewing God’s Word until it penetrates your heart’. A handbook on Christian fitness for the experienced Christian, as well as the new Christian. 
 

The Revd Dr Martin M’Caw is a retired Baptist minister and Wing Chaplain No2 Welsh Wing RAF Cadets (also retired)