Go The Second Mile

And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two (Matthew 5:41 NKJV)

When Jesus mentioned the second mile, He was speaking to people living under the rule of an occupying army, without the privilege of a free society.  He was referring to Roman Legionary Law, which allowed a Roman soldier to force a civilian to carry his kit for one mile but no further. It was the second mile Jesus asked the people to go, testing their characters and actions.  This second mile would reveal if they had the spirit of Christ, serving others out of love and at personal cost, even when it was inconvenient.

One mile is 1.609km, and two miles are 3.218km. I was never good at running and barely survived the 2.4km run during the fitness test in my school days. So, I can imagine how difficult the second mile would feel if you didn’t enjoy running the first.

Moreover, in those times, the person was forced to carry a burden for the soldier. It must have been a heavy burden, carried not out of love, but compulsion. This reminds me of Simon of Cyrene, who was compelled to carry the cross for Jesus when He was too weak to bear it Himself (Matthew 27:32).

However, Jesus wanted us to look at this from another angle.  He calls us to bear the burden of a brother or a stranger, with love (Galatians 6:1-2). When burdens are borne with love, they feel lighter, and we find ourselves able to go that second mile. Going the second mile is not something the world does, but it is what our Lord asks of us.

Matthew 5:41 is part of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), where Jesus taught with love, wisdom and authority.  Christ asks us to do more than the bare minimum. As Christian ladies, we are called to do more, not out of obligation, but with love and willingness.

Our Lord demonstrated what He preached. When we were still sinners, we were enemies of God (Matthew 5:44), yet Christ loved us and died for us (Romans 5:8).  In doing so, He showed us how to walk the second mile.  He didn’t do just the bare minimum; He made the ultimate sacrifice – dying for our sins.  

Our Lord gave us a new commandment – to love one another, so that the world will know we are disciples of Christ (John 13:34-35). As Christians, our love demonstrates God’s presence in the world (1 John 3:1). In this way, we become the light of the world and the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13-16).

Even small acts of kindness count (Matthew 10:42).  What seems small to the giver may be the second mile for the recipient.  This reminds me of how Abraham’s servant sought a wife for Isaac in Genesis 24:1-23. Rebekah was chosen not because she was beautiful but because she went the second mile – drawing water not only for the servant but also for all his camels.

As Christian ladies, we have the capacity to do more for God. We should not underestimate the impact of our kindness toward fellow brethren or those outside the faith. Titus 2:3-5 teaches us that we can be a good influence with our conduct, teachers of good things, and guides to less mature Christian ladies. The focus is on giving glory to God, so that His Word will not be blasphemed.

In my many years as a Christian, my faith has had its ups and downs. But I have been able to hold on because of sisters who cared, not just with words, but with actions. They walked the second mile, pushing me to continue my spiritual journey.

There are many examples of this care and concern, but I will share just a few.

My husband and in-laws are not Christians, and they did not want me to bring my young children to church regularly.  I was troubled about how to ensure my children received their spiritual education.  At the time, my faith was weak, and I did not think about teaching them myself.  But sister Swee Inn encouraged me to take on the responsibility. She reminded me that I was blessed with an education and could use it to teach my children. She also shared the example of a sister who, despite little education, would read and write down Bible verses for her children. Sister Swee Inn even gave me her nephews’ completed Bible workbooks to help me get started. I am grateful that, despite her busy schedule, she took the time to guide me.

When I was finally allowed to bring my young children to church on some Sundays, brother Kenneth and sister Guek Hoon would fetch us. Their car was cramped, but they never hesitated to accommodate us. They also helped care for my children during worship service, even though they had their own children to look after.  They really interacted with my children and developed a bond with them. I will never forget and always appreciate their time and effort to help ease the struggles I faced then.  Without them, I might have hesitated to bring them along more often.

I am thankful that God and the brethren did not abandon me. Now, I want to show the same care and concern to others, just as it was shown to me.  I want to go the second mile, as Christ commanded.

We can hold on to our faith, even in low times, as long as we do not turn our backs on God and our brethren. We can pick ourselves up and bounce back from weak faith because God has promised that we will not be tempted beyond what we can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13).

When our faith is restored, let us remember to go the second mile for weaker brethren during their challenging times (Hebrews 10:23-24).

We are in the spiritual family, as Paul had said in 1 Timothy 5:1-2, the elder men as fathers, the younger men as brothers, the elder women as mothers and the younger women as sisters.  When we build one another up, our congregation becomes stronger and shines as a light in the world (Philippians 2:15).