The few and the many
As a World War Two historian, the month of September features large for me, one significant date being 15th September 1940, which is generally celebrated as Battle of Britain Day. The young Hurricane and Spitfire pilots of Fighter Command were immortalised in Winston Churchill’s words, ‘Never… was so much owed by so many to so few.’
Churchill’s early years saw him starved of parental affection but he found solace in his nanny, Elizabeth Everest, who, being a Christian believer, gave him spiritual input as well as the love he craved. In the light of this, I do wonder whether in 1940 he borrowed the concept of ‘the many’ set over against ‘the few’ from the words of Jesus.
Here’s what I mean: in the portion of Jesus’ teaching, known as the Sermon on the Mount, he presents a stark illustration: ‘Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.’
Now, as when Jesus first spoke those words, we find ourselves having to choose between two possibilities concerning him: either he knew what he was talking about in regards to things such as our eternal destiny, heaven and hell and God, or he was a deluded religious eccentric character from Middle Eastern history.
Jesus’ teaching becomes even more astounding when he says that he is himself that ‘narrow gate’ through which he tells us to enter, and he is that ‘narrow road’ which leads to life. It is not hard to see why he says that only a ‘few’ find it, leaving ‘many’ opting for the easier ‘broad’ option, which doesn’t require having to stake their lives on what he says.
Christians are those people described as the ’few’ who have entered into a new life by putting their faith, their trust and their hope in Jesus; the one who opens the small gate for them and leads them along the narrow road to a final happy ever after end. That narrow road is far from a joyless slog. I have been on it for 40 years and find it most engaging! While travelling, Christians are given resources by Jesus according to their individual ability. He wants these resources (or gifts) to be used in a faithful way that will honour God and help others.
Just as the Christian way starts with the concept of ‘few’ and ‘many’, so it finishes in like manner. Speaking of the end of the Christian’s journey, we read in the Gospel of Matthew, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!’
Those Battle of Britain pilots seemed pitifully few as they fought against the larger German Air Force, but they took courage and did what they believed to be right. Will we follow their example of courage and conviction, irrespective of whether we be in the minority or majority, and take Jesus at his word?