Does It Matter?

William Henley in his poem, "Invictus" wrote: "It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishment the scroll.  I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul."

Matthew 7:13, 14 reads "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for  wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

Does it matter to you? is what I am concerened about and I hope you are concerned about it too.  This is just another way of saying, be aware; be an observant; be evaluative,  be proactive, and then act!.  There are many issues everyday that affect our lives and we just let others make decisions for us about these issues.  My point is for one of encouragement and the spirit of today, evaluate and become active.  I am speaking to everyone but especially to the young, high school students, first time voters, young first time college students, and those who are employed for the first time.

Be a team player - but KNOW what team and whose team you are playing for and with.

Network - but KNOW who and what to value in the networking process.

Socialize - but know what social values you wish to portray, to accept, to deny, and how it will affect you in the END..not the long run but the END.

Now to my point:  William Henley offfends many in his poem when he says "It does not matter...strait the gate and  how charged with punishment the scroll."  He follows this with " I am the master of my fate and I am the captain of my soul."  To me, this is great and I am not offended for I understand the situation under which he is writing.  In my lingo, he says "be you; no matter what or who; just do YOU!  But, we have to  know who we are and what we believe in.

Being a Christan, I believe what Matthews said in verses 13 and 14 of chapter 7. Because I have professed to God to be a Christian, I have rules or commandments that I have been charged to follow.  That is my gate and it is strait and narrow.  But the gate of life is broad and you and I travel through this gate daily.  As a Chrisitian, "I am the master of my soul" here on earth as I manuever the gate.  Yet, I know that my mastering is minimal, for God is the master and captain of my soul.  I understand Henley when he says it does not matter, for someone will extend the sides of the gate as they walk their daily lives here on earth.  Yet God's gate is strait and it will not broadened just because we add new social issues categories which  someone will promote and even legislate laws to protect those issues.

In short, It matters.  So pay attention to your daily walk and practices.  Know you and do you!