I like to experiment cooking with unusual spices. When I am visiting my daughter in Pittsburgh I try to take the opportunity to visit an especially nice spice store that imports from all over the world. Boy do they know spices. There is a little story over the bin of every one telling its history and how it is harvested and how best to use it. For instance, cinnamon isn’t just cinnamon – there’s much more to know. Is it from Vietnam, Indonesia or Sri Lanka? Each is different. And did you know that Turkish bay leaves are the best in the world?

Some spices are very rare and their price reflects it. If they have to be harvested from a tree that takes many years to grow on a remote mountain with a specific climate by someone who hand picks and delivers them to a faraway market; that spice is going to be very expensive. But the one who seeks such a rare spice is willing to pay the price. To that one the cost is worth it.

Jesus said; “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14)

Just as in the spice world there is also a rare spiritual walk that costs more. Jesus is talking about that rare walk in the quote from Matthew. To pay the price you have to really want it because it is going to be costly. It is the way which leads to LIFE with a capital L. Not just getting by; not paying lip service to religion; not pretending in a way that fools those around you.

Are you interested? Are you that one willing to pay the price to walk the narrow way? The Bible says; “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good.” (Psalm 34:8) Go ahead. Take one taste and leave no doubt that the cost IS worth it.

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