As we read the New Testament, we come across many instances where Jesus used parables to teach in ways that were truly unique to those times. Until that time many had never experienced this type of teaching and it proved to be an effective method of imparting knowledge to his listeners. A parable is a story that illustrates a moral or religious lesson. During Jesus' ministry he told many parables such as the parable of the sower, the parable of the good Samaritan, the rich fool, the parable of the mustard seed, and the parable of the lost sheep, just to name a few. Once two men were walking through the woods. It was a beautiful day and they were hiking the Appalachian Trail through North Carolina. Both were experienced hikers and quite fit, but one was very motivated to get the most out of this hike while the other simply wanted to make it as best as possible. The man who simply wanted to finish the hike was not motivated to see or experience anything more than what the hike had to offer right on the trail. The other hiker, however, was willing to face whatever came his way and get the most out of the hike he was on. As the two men walked, they encountered many rough paths and hills that were difficult to overcome, however they did it. together and kept moving forward. The view from the trail was beautiful with plenty of places to stop and take in the view, but they couldn't seem to get above the tree canopy to really take in the full view. The man who strived to see the beautiful scenery from an unobstructed point of view was trying hard to overcome his surroundings to see the true beauty of the mountains. As the hikers walked there were many chances to leave the trail and... .... middle of paper ...... I have to deal with more. There really is something to be said for the person who takes the hardest path because Jesus did the same thing in His ministry as He walked the earth. He never took the easy route. Just as the author of Matthew writes: “Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road is broad that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the door and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it (New).” Here the author is saying that it is very easy to take the easier path that most take, but it is very difficult to find that narrow path that many choose not to take due to its difficulty. I argue that the road less traveled is the most beautiful and most rewarding because not many have seen it. As we walk the narrow path, we also find that the further we travel it, the easier it becomes.