There is a small satisfaction in watching determination find just enough room. The rabbit presses beneath the fence’s low rail, making his way toward the wildflowers and open hills beyond. The tight passage gives the scene its gentle suspense, and the space on the other side makes the effort feel worthwhile.
“Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”
Matthew 7:14 (KJV)
Near the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus contrasts two ways of living and where they lead. “Strait” here means narrow. The image calls listeners to take his teaching seriously and follow the way that leads to life, even when that way is demanding or unpopular.
The rabbit’s passage offers a visual echo of the verse, though Jesus is speaking about the direction of a life. Difficulty alone does not make a choice right. His teaching gives the path its character: integrity, mercy, love, and obedience to God.
In everyday life, following that direction may involve an honest admission, a costly kindness, or refusing to return cruelty with cruelty. May we have the discernment to recognize the good way and the courage to keep walking it.