We are always admonished to walk the 'straight and narrow' way. However, though very good counsel, it comes from a misunderstanding of the word 'strait' used by Jesus in Matt. 7:13 in which He describes the upward path as "strait is the gate and narrow the way" that leads to heaven, in contrast to "broad is the way" that leads to destruction. In this case the original meaning of the word 'strait' was 'difficult' or 'hard' rather than the opposite of crooked. There are, however, a number of Bible references dealing with the idea of straightness. Ps. 5:8, Isa. 40:3, Isa. 42:2,13, Matt. 3:3, Mark 2:3, Luke 3:4, John 1:23, and Heb. 12:13 all state that God wants to make our way straight.
Every river and every stream that I know of follows a crooked path. Why is this so? The reason is because they all follow the path of least resistance, they do what comes naturally. In contrast, every man-made water way is relatively straight with perhaps a few curves or turns. I know of no man-made canal that could be described as crooked. Similarly, if we follow our own natural inclinations, following the path of least resistance, if allow the obstacles which Satan places in our way, temptations, trials and doubts, to deviate us, then we will wander aimlessly from the straight path which God wants us to follow; we will be in danger of becoming 'crooked Christians.'
Daniel is an outstanding example of one who stood firm on principle and did not allow himself to be defiled by appetite. If we are to stay on the straight and narrow path, we must resist the temptation to surrender our moral principles to the worldly pressures of wealth, power, appetite, ambition, or desire for social acceptance. We are counseled to be rooted and grounded in the faith, and not to be tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the cunning craftiness of men who wait to deceive (Eph. 4:14).
God is waiting to make our way straight. His Spirit will give us the strength to overcome every obstacle or impediment that inheritance or environment places in our way, With His power nothing can deter us from the path God would have us travel. If we refuse to follow the path of least resistance, then we will avoid becoming "crooked Christians."
