This week's Devotion comes from Jessica Hadaway, Youth Minister at Beulah Baptist Church.
Jesus preached the 'Sermon on the Mount' and taught so many incredible life lessons. We know the famous verses about “an eye for an eye” and “turn the other cheek” found in the Sermon on the Mount as he taught about revenge. These are both extremely great lessons that believers should live by. Another single verse found in this incredible passage of scripture is sometimes overlooked but is certainly worth remembering.
Matthew 5:41 says, “If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles.” This doesn’t seem like an extremely rich thought coming from Jesus, but If we unpack the verse a bit, you’ll see that there’s much to be learned.
Roman soldiers could stop individuals walking down the road and force them to carry their heavy gear for a mile. But the catch was, the law only permitted them to carry it one single mile and no more. Nobody wanted to be forced to carry the gear of someone who was unfairly ruling over them. It was humiliating for those forced to obey. And yet Jesus tells them, don’t just carry it the one required mile. He says, goes ahead and take it a second mile. This small verse can be applied to so many areas of our lives. Jesus tells us to go the second mile. Maybe we don’t have to be humiliated and forced to carry soldier’s gear anymore, but what are ways we can go above what’s required of us? What would it look like if we went the second mile in our school? In our work? In our marriage? What about parenting? Often we merely give what’s expected of us and no more. There is an incredible truth found in this small verse. Jesus says don’t stop at mere completion, for you are capable of much more than that. In all things, go the second mile.
Jessica Hadaway,
Beulah Baptist Church Youth Minister
