Young Paul Leonard’s father had died his senior year in high school and his mother had become blind. But even in the midst of the Great Depression, she encouraged him to attend college. By night he drove a taxi and during lunch & dinner hours he waited tables at the campus dining hall. He made just enough money to scrape by.
At lunch one day, he was serving the faculty members. He took their orders and returned with a tray full of food when the unthinkable happened. He took a misstep and watched helplessly as the plates slid off the tray and spilled onto an especially well-dressed professor. Ouch! Paul tried to wipe off the food but only made it worse. He volunteered to have the suit dry-cleaned but this fabric couldn’t be cleaned that way. “Whatever it takes I will do sir.”
Later that day, Paul sat before the same professor in an engineering class that he now taught in a food-stained suit. Afterwards he approached Paul. “Mr. Leonard, I believe it’s only fair that you buy me a new suit.” Paul gulped but agreed to meet him downtown at the men’s store – a pricy one that only sold expensive tailor-made suits. Of course, to pay for such a suit would take months of payments.
But Paul met the professor there and after choosing a fabric and getting fitted for the new suit, the professor turned to the tailor: “Mr. Leonard will be responsible for the bill.” As the professor started to exit the store he turned to Paul, “Are you sure you want to do this? “Yes sir…It will take time of course, but I…” The professor interrupted him with words directed at the tailor. “See that Mr. Leonard is fitted for a suit just like mine. And put them both on MY BILL.”
Going the extra mile. Both these men were willing to take that road. But these days going the extra mile is everywhere. Buy a certain gasoline and your car will go the extra mile. Bosses tell employees to go the extra mile for customers. There’s even a vitamin that will help your body go the extra mile.
Walking the extra mile in the Bible refers to going beyond what is required or expected. In Matthew 5, Jesus teaches that if someone forces you to go one mile, you should go with them two. When Jesus said these words, Palestine had been occupied by Rome for about 100 years. The Romans had learned to conquer lands and then use the people for their own good.
If a soldier were on a journey, he could compel a Jewish man to carry his burden for one mile. This was humiliating to the Jew and the Romans loved it. Every Jewish boy would have a marker set one mile from his home. They would refuse to go any further than that. But Jesus was trying to get them to be the example. Do more than is expected of you. It’s not like they needed more exercise – Jesus was trying to tell them to go the extra mile for even for your enemy! Hard to do. As someone once remarked: Go the extra mile. It’s never crowded.
Jesus went the extra mile when He (The Word) agreed to become flesh and dwell among us and live that sinless life so that all who believe on Him as their perfect substitute can be saved from eternal separation from their Creator! His mission was clear – He was about the business of dying. He truly went the extra mile for us!
Johnnie Cochran – the well-known lawyer for O.J. Simpson – once answered the question, “Which historical figure would you wish to have had for a client?” answered: “Jesus is the person I would like to have defended. I would have relished the opportunity to defend someone who was completely innocent of all charges and a victim of religious persecution. However, because of His mission here, He would have undoubtedly declined.”
Yes – of course He would have declined. Jesus had already committed to that extra mile. But His extra mile was not for more gas mileage, more energy or vitality, or product based. It was solely and purely a labor of love towards us!! Selah!
Bob and Susan Beckett pastor The Dwelling Place City Church at 27100 Girard Street in Heme, CA. For more information, you may contact them at DPCItychurch.org
