The Extra Mile

Have you ever met someone who just pushed your patience? Maybe you know someone who loves to complain and find the negative parts of everything. There are lots of people you will come in to contact with that just need someone to listen, or who just really want someone to show them a little love. Usually those people are the ones who are the most obnoxious, maybe even a little annoying. That is when you have to call on the Jesus that lives in you and go the extra mile.

When Jesus was living his ministry on earth, he came in to contact with a lot of difficult people. People wanted to touch him, wanted to bother him at all hours of the night. People wanted Jesus to listen to them and their problems, they wanted him to fix everything that was wrong with them. Guess what? Jesus never turned them away. He was never rude or sarcastic, he never told them he had a long day and wanted to be left alone. Jesus was kind and patient with even the most trying of people. He went the extra mile (just a little past what was comfortable) to make them feel loved and wanted. Because of that, people just wanted to be around him. They wanted to be like him, they wanted what he had.

Matthew 25:31-40 says:
^31-33"When he finally arrives, blazing in beauty and all his angels with him, the Son of Man will take his place on his glorious throne. Then all the nations will be arranged before him and he will sort the people out, much as a shepherd sorts out sheep and goats, putting sheep to his right and goats to his left.
^34-36"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what's coming to you in this kingdom. It's been ready for you since the world's foundation. And here's why:

I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.'

^37-40"Then those 'sheep' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?' Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.'

Don't get impatient when you are around difficult people. Consider it a blessing and an opportunity to show God's love to someone overlooked and ignored. Find a way to go the extra mile today!