FROM THE BEGINNING OF TIME, mankind has faced, battled and often been
overcome with a tendency of comfort on a plane of average potential.
Man seems to be prone to compare himself to other men, or to a certain
average that he has in mind, and never seek to excel above this level.
Of all of the things that Jesus sought to overcome, this particular
battle is one of the hardest fought, and yet most often ignored, of all
of the teachings of our Savior. Jesus has never been happy with his
people unless they excelled above the average plane. The whole of
scripture is dedicated to the task of informing man of God's Divine
forbearance with people who fail to live up to their potential worth and
Gods expectation of them, for they are content to live an average life
and thus live below their full capacity. In other words, the Bible
tells us a story of a people who fail to realize their potential in
being faithful unto a most loving and faithful God. Because of this
failure to recognize their full potential, men have often stooped to all
types of sin and iniquity. Whenever one's true worth is hidden, he will
never live up to his greatest level of potential for good. A good
example of this thought can be found in Matthew 19:16 as the rich young
ruler came to Jesus with the question, "What good thing shall I do, that
I may inherit eternal life." Jesus answers this question in verse 17 as
he states: "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." Jesus
simply tells him in order to have life, keep the commandments. The
young man wanted to know what little he needed to do for he goes on to
ask, "Which?" Deep down inside, he really doesn't want to know the
truth. Instead, he wants to justify himself on the basis of what he has
already done. What Jesus does is to show him that to exist or live on
the average plane, as he wants to do, he must keep the commandments.
But as we see in verse 21, Jesus required of this young man more than he
was willing to give. Jesus wanted this man to give his everything, his
all-in-all, not just what he could get away with. He wanted more from
this ruler than a mere surface obedience. Jesus wanted a full sacrifice.
This thought is illustrated and emphasized all throughout the teachings
of Jesus Christ, especially in the great Sermon on the Mount, and shows
just how extremely and radically different the teachings of Jesus truly
are. In Matthew 5:46 Jesus asked his listeners what reward have ye for
loving those who already love you. He goes on to show that even the
publicans do the same. In the next verse he continues with this thought
as he asks the great question, "What do ye more than others?" The point
of these words is so incredible. Jesus expects more from his disciples
than from the world. He expects us to love those who despise us, to
salute not only our brethren, but our enemies as well. He requires of
his people to live above average and thus show the world how great and
powerful Christianity truly is.
The words of Jesus in Matthew 5:38-41 strike at the heart of three
things that easily offend. The first is the personal insult, an injury
to the body, an affront or indignity. Jesus said "whosoever shall smite
thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also." Such a blow would
serve to inflame passions and cause someone to quickly react with rage
and render justice immediately. How hard it is for us to so master our
bodies as to be able to take such an insult and stand there and take it
like a godly man. The average reaction would be to strike back, but
Jesus requires more from his followers. As Jesus stated unto Peter in
Mt. 26:52 "For all they that take the sword shall perish with the
sword." The forgiving of an injury may very well prevent another, but
the avenging of a blow will only bring about more blows. In Romans
12:14 we find that we are to "Bless them which persecute you: bless, and
curse not." In verses 17-21 we learn that we are to "Recompense to no
man evil for evil," "avenge not yourselves," "if thine enemy hunger,
feed him," and "be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."
The thought of these verses very seldom even passes through the mind of
most people. To praise those who hurt or curse us seems almost
impossible. To overcome evil with good seems preposterous. But we need
to remember, we serve a master who exemplified fully these
characteristics and we are to pattern our every move after him. Don't
tell me we can't live this way for many have followed in the footsteps
of Jesus in doing good to those who have despitefully used them. There
are those who have lived through battles where loved ones were killed,
those who have seen despicable acts committed, who not only arose from
those injuries, but even became servants of those who did ill will
toward them. Think of the missionary doctor whose splendid hospital was
utterly destroyed by the Chinese nationalist army, who looked around at
the wreck, grabbed his black bag and filled it with things he would need
and followed the army, tending to the sick and wounded. As one man once
so well stated, "Don't tell me we can't live this way. Tell me we
won't. Tell me we don't. But don't tell me we can't, for this is
exactly what Christ tells us to do and lovely people are living above
the average all over the globe."
The second area of offence is the loss of a coat, an injury or blow to
one's estate. In Matthew 5:40 Jesus says "if any man will sue thee at
the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also." The loss
of a coat is an injury that to me is far easier to take than the
personal insult. It is easier to swallow pride and give away a coat
and even a cloke than to go to court and pay for lawyers and litigation
to try and recover such a small item. There is no guarantee that you
will win at law, but there is a guarantee in serving others, for you are
living above the average.
The third area of offence is very interesting and challenging for it
deals with pride while at the same time dealing with the loss of ones
liberty. In Matthew 5:41 Jesus says, "whosoever shall compel thee to go
a mile, go with him twain." The Jews were guilty in Christ day of
teaching their disciples or students of the law that they were not to be
pressed, as others might, by the king's officers, to travel upon the
public service. But Jesus enforces another objective. This particular
lesson is perhaps the hardest to take and apply to ones daily living,
especially for the Jew of Jesus' day. In the days of Christ, the Jews
were under Roman captivity and were forced to perform many menial tasks.
Among these unfavorable tasks was the carrying of burdens. Roman law
allowed any Roman Soldier or official who was returning with the spoils
of war upon his back or was on other official business (possibly
personal as well) to force any of the conquered people to carry their
burden a single mile. Such a task was despicable for any Jew for the
Romans were pagans or heathens and were held in great contempt. Many of
the Jews would most likely have tried to hide from any Roman soldier who
headed their way. One can only imagine the shock such individuals
suffered from when Jesus came upon the scene teaching the exact
opposite. Not only teaching these men to shoulder the burden and carry
it a mile, but to go ahead and go an extra mile at their own expense.
This is so incredible to consider for it illustrates the very heart and
core of what Christianity is all about. Christianity is not a mediocre
religion. It is not about just doing enough to get by. It is not about
the common average. It's about excelling above what is normally
expected. Can you truly say that Christianity is filling your heart and
soul with the desire to do more, to serve better, to be all you can
possibly be while always trying to find a way to go the extra mile?
Jesus knew well that as long as men are content to do only that which is
demanded of them, they will never live up to their true worth or
capabilities. It is only when people rise above the standard, when
spontaneity takes the place of coercion, that service becomes rich and
character noble. Consider the words of Paul in Romans 5:7-8 and the
meaning they should bring to our lives. Paul pointed out that there are
those who would willingly lay down their life or put their life on the
line for a good man or a good friend. In this setting, consider this as
the average and then consider how far above the average the love of God
extends! Christ died, not for a good man or a righteous man, but for
ungodly sinners. "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while
we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." In Philippians 2:8 we see our
Savior's willingness to go the first mile as he "became obedient unto
death" and then the second mile "even the death of the cross" "despising
the shame," Hebrew 12:2. In light of this, Paul stated "Let this mind
be in you, which was also in Christ," Philippians 2:5. Do you fulfill
such readiness and willingness to put forth the extra mile in your life?
In your daily activities as a child or an employee or servant, are you
willing to put forth the extra effort and do more than just what is
required? As a Christian, are you content with just doing enough to get
by, just doing what is absolutely and positively required of you, that
which you can't get around, or are you willing to go the second mile? I
want you to consider which of the miles would be the farther of the two.
Many would quickly argue the second for you would already be winded by
that time. The truth is, the first mile is by far the hardest for it is
the mile of coercion. The second is easy for it's the mile of voluntary
service and can be traveled with a smile. One writer stated, "Well, it
is not much to start with, O Roman of necessity, but you need not think
that I am going to do only what you command and stop there. I intend to
do my work in such a way that they who cried, 'what cruel limitations!'
shall yet say, 'what a beautiful hedge!'" How does this translate into
your life? Do you live in such a way that others would say of your
profession of Christianity "what cruel limitations?" Do you gripe and
complain about every sacrifice that is asked of you by Christ? Do the
people around you get the impression that Christianity is a burden to
you and that you just wish you didn't have to carry the burden of the
cross? Do people see you in the way you assemble with the saints, sing
songs of praise, give of your means, talk, dress, or normally conduct
yourselves, and think that you only do this because you are forced? Or,
do they say of your profession of Christ, "what a beautiful hedge!"
What are you portraying to the world about your attitude of Christ?
I sincerely believe the majority of church problems, as well as the
majority of problems within an individual's life, can be corrected if we
would all learn to apply the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:38-41 into our
lives. The reason why so many problems are found within the body of
Christ can often be traced back to the fact that men want to be average
and give some, not all. The reason why so many gripe and complain about
the first mile and make such a desperate attempt to refuse it or show to
all how great a burden it is, is because of their unwillingness to go
the second mile. They are too caught up in their rights being infringed
upon or their liberty being invaded to consider the full picture. Until
man's willingness overflows his obligation, until that which is required
is seen as a small segment of what he is willing to do, will man become
what Jesus would call a profitable servant! The story is told of an old
Greek who was once chosen as the town scavenger. This man took so
seriously his work and filled the office with such high service that the
office was thereafter held with great honor in all Greece. Yes, we can
make the most mundane of things, a great honor. The Nile valley is
fertile and fruitful, not because the Nile flows through it, but because
the Nile overflows it. In order for the church to be fertile and
fruitful it must not only flow in the banks, it must also overflow with
love and the teaching of Christ. We must not only go the first mile,
but the second, and then some. In light of what Jesus has done for us,
what is our attitude toward each other? What is our attitude toward the
lost? What is our attitude toward worship and obedience? Are we
mediocre Christians? Are we average or normal Christians? Are we caught
up in the bare minimums? Where are we as Christians? Should these
terms even be used with the great name of Christian for it implies such
superlatives as Super, Awesome and Incredible for a Christian is a child
of the King? If we see ourselves as just ordinary or average, we are
missing out.
A woman once approached a certain lawyer about a divorce. She could say
nothing good about her husband for he wasn't the same as he once was.
The lawyer told her to go home and wait upon him hand and foot for a
month. She was to arise early in the morning and prepare his favorite
food for breakfast, doll herself up and do everything to make him happy
and then after thirty days, she was to leave him and file for the
divorce. When she returned some thirty days later, the lawyer asked if
she was ready to file the divorce papers. Her reply was, "Divorce! Why
that man's the greatest man in all the world!" The lawyer's advice
might be good for us to consider in the Christian life. The more we put
into our Christianity, the more rewarding it will be. Those who receive
nothing from living a faithful and pure life are simply not giving their
everything. Much like the rich young ruler, they may be keeping the
commandments, but they haven't given themselves to the Lord. Tell me we
won't give Christ everything. Tell me we don't give Christ everything.
But don't tell me we can't give Christ everything for this is exactly
what Christ requires of us to do. The problem is, many have failed to
take the Lord at his word and go the second mile, putting forth the
extra effort, and thus are still plodding along on the farthest mile
with no knowledge of the joy that awaits a life of full surrender! Do
you want to enjoy Christ and the Church? Put your heart in your
Christianity and do all you can, make any sacrifice you need to make for
God and for your Godly influence, and you will see a tremendous change
in your attitude as well as in your effectiveness in reaching others.
872 North Quigley Road
Marion, LA 71260
cesmith@bayou.com
