GO THE EXTRA MILE
And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Matthew 5:41
This statement from Jesus, while not a formal command, is certainly a challenge to many of us. When Jesus spoke these words, he was telling his hearers how they should behave, even when others seemed to be treating them unfairly. In those days, the Holy Land formed part of the Roman Empire, and it was heavily garrisoned by Roman legionnaires.
This army of occupation was there to prevent any rebellion by the local inhabitants. Roman soldiers had certain privileges, among which was the right to stop any able-bodied man who might be standing idly by or going in the same direction as the soldier. Unless that man was himself a Roman citizen, he could be ordered to carry all the soldier’s equipment for a maximum distance of a thousand paces (Latin: “mille passus”, which gives us our word “mile”). All major Roman roads also had mile markers. After that mile, the man could put down the burden and leave the soldier either to carry it himself, or the soldier could find another non-citizen to press into service for the next mile.
If these men refused to do this duty for a soldier on demand, they could be arrested and sent to prison. It was a most unpopular law, and people naturally evaded the duty if they possibly could – so Jesus must have startled and shocked his hearers by what he said. It was just the opposite of what they usually did. To have to go one mile with all that load (most Roman legionnaires carried about 60lbs on the march) was bad enough, but to go another mile SUA SPONTE-style—CRAZY!!! That statement likely seemed ridiculous to many who heard it.
What Jesus was really trying to say was that to accept an obligation cheerfully, and even to go beyond it, is almost always better than doing things under protest. To act in this way might make even a rough Roman soldier more human; treating people with generosity and forbearance might make friends instead of enemies. This is certainly the way in which Jesus himself acted towards others. Jesus’ words have passed into our language and are used today by many who often have no idea where the expression comes from. Most of us have heard the exhortation to “go the extra mile” but few of us might realize these are the words of Jesus Christ--the ultimate selfless servant.
Service is the act and art of seeking to diligently and genuinely meet the needs of another. You can serve as a delightful, personal expression or you can serve as a duty. A duty is heartless, without empathy, often boring and mundane. A delightful, personal expression of service means you add concern, empathy, and genuine relationships into your actions.
Service requires action. This means physical work will be required to truly serve another. You might have to break a sweat or get dirty. Sometimes your service will not be appreciated. Those you serve might be demanding and ungrateful of your service. In a demanding world, serving others can be difficult. Service is not simply talking about serving. This is called lip service. Lip service accomplishes nothing. It’s hard to serve others with warmth and sincerity if you have bitterness, anger, hate, or unforgiveness stored in your heart. What’s in your heart will come out of your mouth and through your actions.
True service comes from a true heart. This means no expectations of return nor want of recognition for your actions. In short, it means going the extra mile even if there is no return on your investment. True service requires no attention, no spotlight or no recognition. True service like Jesus taught is selfless, joyous, and generous. The joy is in the serving. The joy is in helping meet the needs of others.
I know everyone reading this already understands going the extra mile. Most of you did it, some for a few years and some for many years. Service in the Regiment was not easy. Living up to the Ranger Creed demanded that we all “go the extra mile” literally and figuratively. I know most of you are no longer serving in the Regiment. Many are probably thinking, it is time to do something for myself. Take care of yourself but resist the urge to always make it all about you. There are still those around us who need our continued acts of service. Most of us have Ranger buddies, fellow veterans, or maybe just neighbors who need some help. Look for these opportunities, they are all around you. We must continue to go the extra mile and do it joyfully!
God Bless!
Rangers Lead the Way!
Dan Knight
d.knight@threerangersfoundation.org