The Second Mile

Matthew 5:41  If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles.

When the crowd heard today’s verse it had to be as popular as a kale salad at a potluck. Roman law declared that if a soldier demanded that you carry his pack you had to carry it for one mile. There were men who had one mile from there home marked. They would carry the pack to the marker, drop it and leave. It had to be humiliating to be ordered around like that.

The Jesus comes along and says, “Hey, you know that one mile rule? If you really want to be my followers, go ahead and carry it a second mile.” Go the extra mile, just like Jesus did.

John 9 tells us that Jesus healed a man born blind- the first mile. Then the dude gets kicked out of the synagogue for his testimony, and Jesus searched him out and encouraged him- the second mile.

You hear so much today about “quiet quitting,” people who have decided to do just what their work demands, and no more. As a Christian, that can’t be our attitude- we need to go the extra mile. Will your employer give you a raise for it? Possibly, but that’s not the reason to do it. The reason to go the extra mile is because it pleases God. And his raises are better than anything your boss can hand out!

My church, Remnant, did a whole series on our work life called The Other Six. You can find it at: The Other 6

Today’s Readings:  1 Samuel 20,21; Psalm 34; Matthew 5