Nearly every child has been told by their parents about the danger of following the crowd. The influence of peer pressure is strong at every age, but it is especially powerful when we’re young. Many times, children, teenagers, and even young adults ignore that advice out of stubbornness or even recklessness.
Jesus spoke about the danger of following crowds often in His ministry. In Matthew 7:13, Jesus taught that the broad way leads to destruction, a path that many find and end up walking down.
This is one reason why Joe L. Barnes and Seph Schlueter’s new song, “Road Less Traveled,” has so much power. The song draws on Jesus’ teaching and challenges listeners in an area where they are already in a battle. Barnes gained attention through his collaboration with Maverick City Music on “Promises,” and Schlueter gained widespread exposure as social media users added his song “Counting My Blessings” to their reels which showed what they were grateful for.
But these two artists are not simply seeking to draw attention to themselves. They are seeking to invite listeners to pursue Jesus down the narrow road. "'Road Less Traveled' is an invitation to become more like Jesus,” explains Barnes. “It invites us to embrace His heart for those who are lost, that we may become His Hands and Feet. To go out to all the world and make disciples, to welcome them into His kingdom and His family. I hope the song encourages us all to go share His heart and advance His kingdom!”
Listening to the song alongside the words of Jesus in the Gospels, there is a three-step path that seems to emerge for those who walk the road less traveled. Make a choice, build a lifestyle, and stay on mission. That path begins with a decision about which road to walk.
The song encourages listeners to reject the broad way - the road often traveled - and to choose the narrow way - a road less traveled. In Matthew 7:14, Jesus said, “But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.”
While it may seem harsh for Jesus to say few find this path, this statement does not mean that God lacks love for His creation. After all, the most famous verse in all of the Bible (John 3:16) testifies to that love. “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son…” God loves the world, but the world chooses to walk the broad and popular path. Choosing the road less traveled is not an easy decision.
Choosing the narrow road is where we start, but Jesus doesn’t leave us there. The second step is to build a lifestyle on that road, and Jesus shows us what that looks like in a powerful act. In John 13, Jesus shocked the 12 disciples when He washed their feet in the upper room before the Passover meal. This work was a servant’s task, often reserved for the lowest status in the house. Jesus was lowering Himself to a place where the disciples had never seen Him. The act made them anxious, with Peter boldly protesting. However, Jesus models the path He wants them to walk. In the song’s first verse, Barnes sings that one can “find me somewhere washing feet.”
Are there places where you resist Jesus serving you? Anywhere that you are resisting serving others because those things feel “beneath” you? This song may provide some surprising conviction to your heart!
A lifestyle of service on the narrow road isn’t just about our posture, though. The third step is staying on mission, which is where the song picks up. Schlueter sings, "So count me in the number, carrying my cross, to take the love of Jesus and gather up the lost." Just before this line, Schlueter references the words of Jesus in Matthew 9:37-38. “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”
You might be wondering if you’ll be the only one in the field if you say yes to this invitation. No, we won’t be alone. Jesus is with us, and the Father is sending more workers. The mission of the Kingdom is eternally important, and the words of Jesus (and the song which echoes them) call us to experience this plentiful harvest.
Following Jesus isn’t just a one-time decision; we choose to follow Him again every day. That choice will be resisted as Peter resisted Jesus washing his feet in John 13.
In the face of that resistance, we get to embrace Jesus’ invitation to follow Him down the narrow path. Will you trust what Jesus knows and wants for you even when you feel the pressure to turn back to what’s easy and comfortable?
Scott Savage is a pastor, author, and speaker who loves tacos, matcha, and sneakers. With more than twenty years of ministry experience, he teaches with a blend of Biblical truth, emotional awareness, and the compassion shaped by his own struggles.
Scott’s writing has impacted over ten million people through trusted platforms such as the YouVersion Bible App, Air1 Radio, and Our Daily Bread. He’s the author of Faith Behind the Song, a 40-day devotional book published in partnership with K-Love Books. Whether speaking on a stage or writing on a page, he offers a steady, empathetic voice that reassures people they are seen, loved, and not beyond God's healing reach. You can sign up to receive his weekly newsletter at ScottSavageLive.com today!
