Daily Devotional

In ancient times it was routine for a Roman soldier to demand a civilian—especially a Jewish male—to carry his load for up to a Roman mile—actually a distance of 1,000 paces (in Latin: mille passus), measured by every other step. This cruel practice was known as “impressment.” It certainly did make an impression, since the average soldier carried about sixty (and sometimes a hundred) pounds of equipment and supplies. As they marched, I imagine the civilians grumbling under their breath, as they counted to exactly 1,000 and dropped their heavy load. Roman law required, under threat of punishment, for soldiers not to force civilians to carry their supplies one step further and these Jewish men knew it. Every pace most likely increased their intense hatred of the Romans, under whom they suffered much abuse.

Then Jesus arrives on the human scene! One wonders if He and His disciples might have experienced or witnessed Roman soldiers treating people like pack mules. Yet, there in His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus would call His disciples to a different perspective:

Matthew 5:41–48 “Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Simply stated, Jesus was saying that Kingdom Living this side of heaven calls us to go the extra mile by:

• giving to those who are undeserving.
• loving those who do not love us back.
• praying for those who hurt us.
• doing more than what is expected.
• going beyond the bare minimum.
  
  

In the words of the Apostle Paul, going the extra mile means to “excel still more” (1 Thessalonians 4:1, 10)—i.e., taking more than the minimum steps in every arena of life. In so doing, we prove we are sons and daughters of our Father who is in heaven. After all, God went the extra mile by sending His only begotten Son to die in the place of sinners like us (John 3:16; Romans 5:8). Going the extra mile also proves to our stubborn hearts we are becoming more and more like Him every day. Let’s pick up the load and count past 1,000. Let’s be His “second mile” people.

Philippians 3:13-15 “Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.  Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you…”

Press on, Beloved!

New American Standard Bible (NASB)
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