A man who strays from the path of understanding comes to rest in the company of the dead (Proverbs 21:16).

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).  Following him is following the path of understanding.  I genuinely believe this with all my heart.  But I also recognize the fact that other people believe differently.  I recognize the fact that there are people who believe that Islam is the path of understanding, or that Buddhism is the path of understanding.  I recognized the fact that some people believe that scientific inquiry is the path of understanding.  And I recognize the fact that several people who would have once considered themselves to be followers of Jesus, on his path of understanding, have since strayed from that path -- choosing to believe in a different path or in no path at all.  And truthfully, I have to confess that I don't know exactly what will happen to those people who choose (or do not choose) some other apparent "path of understanding"... except that they're all going to die someday.  The odds are also quite high that I will die someday (with the only caveat being that I believe it's still possible that Jesus might return within my lifetime).  And within the next 100 years, it's pretty safe to say that we'll all come to rest in the company of the dead.

But Jesus does not only claim to be the way and the truth -- the proverbial "path of understanding," if you will.  He's also the life.  In fact, another section from the Gospel of John quotes Jesus as saying, "I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die" (John 11:25-26).

And this is a distinctive characteristic of the Christian faith -- the life of following Jesus down his path of understanding.  The resurrection.  When we believe in Jesus, we discover a way to live, even though our bodies may die.  It's kind of weird.  It's kind of bizarre.  But it's our defining characteristic -- our belief in the resurrection.  We can live and believe in Jesus, staying on the path of understanding, for the rest of eternity.  And even when it might appear that we, followers of Jesus, come to rest in the company of the dead -- just like the rest of humanity -- the Bible tells us that we can confidently place our hope in the resurrection.  Because Jesus is the way, the truth, the resurrection and the life.  He will never let us stray; he will never let anything or anyone snatch us out of his hand (John 10:25-30).  It might be controversial.  It might be weird.  But it's the path that I'm on -- and that I'm planning to stay on.