I like singing, but I’m no good at it. That’s why I like music in the privacy of my car. Windows rolled up, music loud, cruising down the road pretending to be Celine Dion. My heart will go on and on, and no one’s ears will be hurt by it.
When Disney-Pixar’s movie Cars was popular, I pretended to be a member of Rascal Flatts singing “Life Is A Highway.” Remember it? A country pop song seemingly ideal for a long road trip. “Life is a highway, I wanna ride it all night long.”
There was a disconnect though. Set against the uptempo, carefree rhythm we also sang out, “A road so rough, this I know…Just tell ’em we’re survivors.”
So which is true—the bright optimism of the tone or the words of gritty survival on rough roads? The two aren’t in harmony.
I’ve felt a similar incongruence listening to a Secretary in the US over the last few weeks:
“All He [King Jesus] asks of us is to believe.
To honor Him with who we are and what we do.” 1
“We are unleashing our warfighters at
full strength. There will be no pause.
No hesitation. We will be unrelenting.”2
“King Jesus, we come humbly before you
seeking your face, seeking your grace, in
humble obedience to your law and to your word.”3
“America is winning decisively,
devastatingly, and without mercy.”4
“Lord God, we ask for the wisdom to see
what is right and in each and every day,
in each and every circumstance, the courage
to do what is right in obedience to your will.”5
“Death and destruction from
the skies [over Iran]. All. Day. Long” 6
“We’re honored to gather on their
[fallen US soldiers] behalf to remember
them and their families.”7
“The Iranian navy rests at the
bottom of the Persian Gulf…
Decimated. Defeated.
Pick your adjective…
Quiet death.”8
“A monthly worship service…to pause
and reflect who is at the wheel,
who is sovereign…
There is no plan B,
only God’s plan of plan A.”9
“We are punching them
while they’re down,
which is exactly how it should be.”10
Asking for God’s wisdom, only to unleash quiet death. Reflecting on God’s plan, and then punching without mercy. Which is it?
I wonder if this is in part what Jesus meant in the Sermon on the Mount when He said:
“B r o a d is the road that leads to disaster.”
Dallas Willard says, “The broad gate…is simply doing whatever I want to do.”11 Whatever I want to do, whatever I want to say, like riding a multi-lane highway all night long. Picking the thoroughfare that seems right for the moment. This lane for arrogance and this one for (disguised) humility. All lanes open to decisive language punching at full strength without hesitation. Modesty keep right. Mockery stay left. There are even express lanes for haughtiness and rest stops for alleged reflection.
Truth be told, this isn’t a road we’re surviving. Look at us, the whole lot of us, we’re in an 8-billion-car pile up having hurt and been hurt, very much in need of emergency services.
Yet, my pride wants to say I’m different from the leader of the Department of Defense. And I am. I don’t have a podium on the national stage. Or the command of one million plus service members. But what I do have is the frightening ability to sit and pray in solitude, and then two and half minutes later spit out something snarky. How quickly am I to read Micah’s words on mercy, justice, and humility, and then pivot to my email in box only to decide there’s no mercy for someone with a complaint.
A highway this wide has all the characteristics of us trying to serve two masters.
Only one we will love.
The other we will hate.
Only one will have our devotion.
The other we will despise.
Saint James calls my obnoxious cruising a curse: “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.”
Instead,
Jesus says,
narrow is the road
that leads to life.
As He begins to summarize his sermon on the mount, the wisest Being to ever walk our earthly roads says the choice of lanes for His true followers is actually quite limited. It’s not a freeway, it’s a single-lane path.
The meek?
Inherit the earth.
The pure in heart?
See God.
Make war?
Be peacemakers.
Condemnation?
No, reconciliation.
Your neighbor? Spanish-speakers? Epstein victims? Your worst enemy?
Love! Love! Love! Love!
Arrogance?
Hate it.
Selfishness?
Die to it.
Greed?
Guard against it.
Lust?
Gouge it out.
Lying?
Yes or No only.
Killing?
Thou shalt not.
Refugees?
Welcome.
The poor?
Give generously.
The suffering?
Mercy.
The oppressed?
Justice.
Forgiveness?
77 times.
The good life is found on a very narrow road. A path, not a highway, that leads to the foot of the cross. Remind me of this, O Lord. Life flourishes in the straits. May the lyrics of your Word be the roadtrip song forever on my lips.
Maranatha. May the Lord come quickly.
- Secretary Hegseth at the 2025 Christmas worship service at the Pentagon https://youtu.be/Me2VSwqE5SE?si=dEHHHW9-FMbH1XAY&t=3145 ↩︎
- Post on X by Secretary Hegseth’s Assistant https://x.com/seanparnellasw/status/2029244605276004661?s=12 ↩︎
- Prayer by Secretary Hegseth at a Pentagon worship service https://x.com/Protestia/status/1925549970624582064 ↩︎
- Secretary Hegseth at a Pentagon press briefing https://youtu.be/-yDEmJISnu4?si=wBdhHbHh4r8RR7CT&t=10 ↩︎
- Prayer by Secretary Hegseth at a Pentagon worship service https://x.com/Protestia/status/1925549970624582064 ↩︎
- Secretary Hegseth at a Pentagon press briefing https://youtu.be/-yDEmJISnu4?si=u4-PW_AsmhEoCqIw&t=161 ↩︎
- Secretary Hegseth at the 2025 Christmas worship service at the Pentagon https://youtu.be/Me2VSwqE5SE?si=HocEo5n5IryhxBf2&t=3085 ↩︎
- Secretary Hegseth at a Pentagon press briefing https://youtu.be/-yDEmJISnu4?si=8r7nG5qLsDCP312y&t=371 ↩︎
- Secretary Hegseth at a Pentagon worship service https://youtu.be/0cQTz4i7RSM?si=QlwjcA_N96Vl1gD0&t=1518 ↩︎
- Secretary Hegseth at a Pentagon press briefing https://youtu.be/-yDEmJISnu4?si=VpTsdCO9VIc4ih_6&t=189 ↩︎
- Dallas Willard’s The Divine Conspiracy page 275 ↩︎
Lord, Come Quickly 