The Few

“Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my father and his angels.”
 - Revelation 3:4-5

Have you ever used the phrase “but _______ does it.” You insert the name of someone else, or maybe even a group of people, to validate what you are doing or wish to do. It is something we all say at some point or another. What you want to do (or are doing) might be the popular thing. But what is popular is not necessarily what is right.

Revelation 3:4 says, “Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me...” In this verse, soiled garments signified being corrupt or polluted by worldliness. And Jesus says there’s only a few amongst you. Sometimes, it is the few that make the biggest difference — the few that stand up for righteousness, that stand up for truth, godliness, and nobility.

We live in a world where everyone wants to be a part of the big crowd. High school graduates want to attend the big universities, and they want to go to the big parties. Stand out employees want to work for the big companies. Everyone seemingly wants to be in the large groups where there are more people. But Scripture refers to value of “the few.”

Matthew 7:13 says, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.” Many people will go down a path of destruction. And some head down that path because others are on it. But narrow is the gate leading to Christ. Only the few will find the gate.

Do you ever find yourself being swayed by the masses? Do you find yourself going where the large group is? Are you constantly seeking what restaurant is “popping” with business, what game draws the largest crowd that week? Be careful getting caught up in where everyone is going, because wide is the road that leads to destruction. Remember, it’s the few that will walk with God. Are you part of the masses or part of the few? You decide.