“… I will shoulder more than my share of the task whatever it may be, one-hundred-percent and then some."
We have all said those words thousands of times, but did you slow down long enough to consider their deeper meaning? This stanza of the Ranger Creed represents a commitment to go above and beyond the standard, taking on extra responsibility and effort without hesitation. This is a huge part of what sets the Regiment apart from the rest of the Army.
I believe this idea is biblical, and I think this is exactly the concept Jesus was talking about in the Gospel of Matthew 5:41, when he said, “And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.” 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.
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. 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 English 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 as a volunteer—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.
Service is the act and art of seeking to meet the needs of another diligently and genuinely. You can serve as a warm, personal expression or you can serve as a duty. A duty is cold and heartless, usually without empathy, often boring and mundane. 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. Take care of yourself, but resist the urge to always make it all about you. Look for opportunities to serve joyfully; they are all around you. As the holiday season approaches, we must continue to go the extra mile (100% and then some) and do it joyfully!
Rangers Lead the Way!
Chaplain Dan Knight