The Extra Mile

Sadly, I haven't heard the phrase "Go the extra mile" in some time.  I used to hear it when I was young, it used to be the American ethic when it came to service.  In America today your more likely to hear "go and sit an extra while."  Workers are loathe to come in early, stay late or do anything extra.  Many today feel they deserve a paycheck for just showing up.  And millions are content to receive a check from the govenment without lifting a finger (I'm not talking about the truly needy but the truly greedy).  Worse yet, apparently our government thinks it inhumane or demeaning to require they work.  Even in prisons, they can longue around all day.

The phrase comes from Jesus' Sermon on The Mount.  In Matthew 5:41 we read, "If someone compells you to walk with them a mile, go with them two."  He was referring to the perrogative of a Roman soldier to compel a Jewish citizen to carry his pack for a mile, even if the citizen was heading in the other direction.  Jesus taught that, instead of resisting or begrudgingly carrying the load the mile, take  it an extra mile as an offering of kingdom service.

What Jesus was teaching was to take the battle for humanity to a higher level.  Instead of getting back at someone or getting even, give them extra.  The principle behind this act is found in Ephesians 6:7, "Serve wholeheartedly as if you were serving the Lord, not man."  This higher plane response honors God and allows his Spirit to shine through you, making an impact far more important than saving face or standing you ground.

Using this principle today, imagine your grumpy old boss asks you come in early to help get a special project out.  Instead of complaining or refusing, come in cheerfully and offer to stay a little late or come in early again tomorrow.  Imagine the impact on him.  Chances are, that attitude, in time, will result in a promotion, but even if it does not, God is honored and your light is shining.

Your wife leaves a dirty dish on the counter.  Instead of pointing it out, how about washing it and putting it away without saying a word.  Or, your husband leaves some hairs in the sink while shaving you wash them down quietly instead of loudly letting him know about his crime.  What if we treated each other like that regularly?

What if we made it a practice to serve God by doing more, resisting less, cheerfully going the extra mile.  What would our jobs look like, what would our marriagess look like, what would our world look like?  Jus' Askn.