A Closer Walk

The Primrose Path. A path that seems right and good to a person but actually leads to destruction or death. Merriam-Webster defines primrose path as, "a path of ease or pleasure and especially of sensual pleasure; a path of least resistance." The concept likely comes from Matthew 7. “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it," Matthew 7:13-14 NASB.

Human nature being what it is, we often, or at least sometimes, choose the path where everyone else is going. Safety in numbers, right? It's called "the Herd Mentality" and we practice it just like cattle, sheep and goats. But is that always the way to go? Following the herd can sometimes get us into trouble. In fact, in the Matthew verse above, our Lord Jesus cautions us to not take the broad way and go through the wide gate because He knows that way leads to destruction. Instead, He is commanding us to enter the narrow gate and follow the narrow way for that way leads to life. But alas, there are few who find this narrow gate and narrow way.
The Primrose Path has been written about by William Shakespeare. From the website, "No Sweat Shakespeare": "Shakespeare's audience would have been very familiar with the idea, drummed into them in most Sunday sermons, that if you want to go to heaven you will find the path a steep, narrow, thorny uphill climb, whereas the road to hell is wide, pleasant and easy, and downhill all the way.....Shakespeare seems to have liked that idea very much as he uses it several times and creates the metaphor of a flowery road to bring it into focus.....On the surface of it the primrose path is simply a flowery path or road. In Mr. Shakespeare's plays it's a metaphor with a reference to the road to hell. In Hamlet, Ophelia is being lectured by her brother, Laertes, as to how he expects her to behave while he is away at university in Paris. Knowing the reputation for drinking and womanizing among students in Paris, she warns him to be careful about preaching to her about virtuous behavior. 'Do not as some ungracious Pastors do,' she says, 'show me the steep and stormy way to heaven whiles like a puffed and reckless libertine himself the primrose path treads and recks not his own rede.'" (Thanks to the website "No Sweat Shakespeare.")
Other writers also used the primrose path as a focus of their novels. Bram Stoker published his first novel "Primrose Path" in 1875. It was serialized in five installments in "The Shamrock," a weekly Irish magazine. This novel was published a full twenty-two years before Mr. Stoker's signature novel, "Dracula." "The Primrose path tells the story of an honest Dublin theatrical carpenter who decides to move to London to search for a better job. Against the better judgement of the people surrounding him he decides to move, he and his faithful wife. He is hired as head carpenter in a squalid theater and after several misfortunes he is brought down by alcohol. The way which seemed right to him led to destruction.
There is also a movie from 1940 titled, "The Primrose Path," starring Ginger Rogers and Joel McCrea. Ms. Rogers plays a woman who desires not to follow the path of prostitution like her mother and grandmother. She meets and marries a respectable man, played by Mr. McCrea, while telling lies about her family and circumstances. When her lies unravel her husband leaves her. Unable to find any other work she takes up the family business. Before she goes too far down that path one of her clients figures out she has been left with no other employment opportunities and speaks privately to her husband who takes her back and agrees to take responsibility for her family.
As this new year begins, if we discover that we seem to be on the Primrose Path, what should we do? Probably first thing would be to go to the Throne of Grace and ask the Lord's help to do some self examination. How did we get on the Primrose Path to begin with? Did we engage in some kind of folly to get here? Have we done something stupid? Something foolish? Something selfish or greedy? Something done from envy or jealousy? Then it would be wise to ask the Lord's help and guidance to get off the primrose path and onto a wiser and more narrow road.
The Primrose Path is a way which seems good and pleasant. But it leads to death or destruction. Ancient Israelite King Solomon, who many believe was the wisest man who ever lived, put it this way, "There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death," Proverbs 16:25 NASB. And so we as children of God should enter by the narrow gate and follow the narrow way as our Lord Jesus has commanded us. And we may be able to avoid the Primrose Path altogether.
“I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord; No tender voice like Thine can peace afford. I need Thee every hour, stay Thou nearby; Temptations lose their pow’r when Thou art nigh. I need Thee every hour, in joy or pain; Come quickly and abide, or life is vain. I need Thee every hour; teach me Thy will; And Thy rich promises in me fulfill. I need Thee every hour, most Holy One; Oh, make me Thine indeed, Thou blessed Son. Refrain: I need Thee, oh, I need Thee; Every hour I need Thee; Oh, bless me now, my Savior, I come to Thee.” Five verses and refrain from “I Need Thee Every Hour.” Words by Annie S. Hawks, 1836-1018; music by Robert Lowry, 1826-1899.