38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. – Matthew 5:38-42
These verses spoken by Christ in Matthew 5 are hard to live by. It is believed that the context of verse 41 is from a Roman law that required a Jewish citizen to carry a Roman soldier’s gear for a mile, if asked. Can you imagine already being subjected to an unjust law and now your Lord God has told you that you should do more than what the law mandates? It is from this verse that the term “going the extra mile” was coined. It isn’t difficult to understand, it is just difficult to live.
We know the good Samaritan went the extra mile in Luke 10:30-37. He did more than what was expected, or required, in the culture of the time to help the man who was beaten and left on the side of the road. As children of God and followers of Christ we should always strive to give more than we are expected or required to by today’s societal standards. This applies to all aspects of our life. We are to be generous with our time, our talents, our possessions and our money in ways modern society cannot really understand. God calls us to be merciful, compassionate, gracious and forgiving in a dark world. In this way, we can show the light of Christ and plant seeds for the Kingdom. While this is not an easy task, the blessings we receive from going the “extra mile” are probably as great or greater than those received by the recipient of our effort. For example, extending forgiveness to someone who has not asked for it, and by all worldly standards does not deserve it, blesses us because it frees us from the burden of holding onto that unforgiveness. “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” – Matthew 6:14
