Life can be a marathon, not a sprint. We often get so caught up in our own race, focused on the finish line of our personal goals and ambitions, that we forget those struggling to even take the first step. But what if the true measure of our journey wasn’t about how fast we ran, but how often we paused to help someone else along the way? Jesus himself taught about going the extra mile, not just to fulfill a duty but to demonstrate love and compassion. In Matthew 5:41, He says, “And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.” This principle of exceeding expectations echoes throughout scripture, and we see it powerfully illustrated in Matthew 25:35-40, where Jesus describes the final judgment and separates people based on their actions towards the “least of these.”
In this powerful passage, Jesus paints a vivid picture of the Kingdom of Heaven, where those who showed compassion to the hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked, sick, and imprisoned are welcomed into eternal life. He teaches that serving others is not merely an optional act of kindness, but an essential demonstration of our faith. “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to 1 me.” (Matthew 25:35-36 ESV) These words challenge us to examine our own lives and consider how we are living out our faith in tangible ways.
This Sunday, we’ll talk about these passages and discover how the principle of “going the extra mile” connects to serving those in need. We’ll explore practical ways to answer this call within our own community. There are unlimited ways to serve our neighbors, and God gives us the freedom to do so. It’s far better to be known as someone who goes the extra mile than to be known as someone who never moved an inch. We will exercise our gift of serving this year!