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This is Part 8 of my Superhero series. In the introduction of this series, I provided the argument that heroes are real and then I distinguished between heroes and superheroes. I also provided a list of what defines a superhero. In Part 1, we learned that superheroes recognize the absolute standard of Good and realize that evil is a mere privation of what is good. In Part 2, we learned that superheroes recognize the absolute moral standard and realize that what is wrong can only be known by the standard of what is right. In Part 3, I defined and expounded upon love because all superheroes are full of love and are compelled to act out from love. In Part 4, I explained that superheroes desire to save people from all forms of danger and/or death and this desire comes from love. In Part 5, we learned that superheroes are solution seekers. In Part 6, we saw that solution seekers are willing to sacrifice if necessary. In Part 7, we saw that sacrificial love steps forward and offers service.
In this message (Part 8), we will see that superheroes go above and beyond the call of duty.
Co-founder of Google, Larry Page, is reported to have advised people to “always deliver more than expected.” This is a popular quote used for those working in the business realm. The concept is simple: if you want to get ahead and rise to the top, then you need to be better than everyone else by doing more than everyone else. Only by exceeding expectations will one be noticed by the consumer. This advice – though close to what Jesus taught, is not at all how Jesus intended for us to incorporate the extra-mile concept into our lives.
“If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.”
(Matthew 5:41) -ESV
That would certainly be delivering more than expected, wouldn’t it? The popular notion of going the extra mile is not about our works. We are not to do more than expected in order to rise to the top or get ahead of other people. In fact, Jesus told us plainly that “whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else” (Mark 9:35).
But if we’re not to go above and beyond in order to rise above and go beyond the majority of the population, why are we called to go the extra mile? What exactly does that mean?
Many people equate going the extra mile with going above and beyond what is expected of us. A recent event caught the attention of news stations in West Virginia: an 8-year-old girl came up with a program to collect items and stuff backpacks for the homeless. Now, even if Sophie were to only do this one time in her life, she could be considered a hero for those she helped. But if Sophie decides to dedicate her entire life to helping the homeless, she will be a superhero. However, contrary to what most people tend to believe, this is not to be considered going the extra mile or going above and beyond expectations. In fact, what Sophie has done is only the bare minimum as commanded by Christ:
” ‘Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?’ Jesus replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.’ ”
(Matthew 22:36-40) -NLT
Ponder on this: How sad is it that news stations and common citizens alike will explode like fireworks in the sky in celebration of the bare minimum? Now, I’m not saying that what Sophie did shouldn’t receive its due praise – she’s beautiful and flippin’ amazing for what she is doing. She’s an 8-year-old child! But allow that fact to sink in and settle within your spirit. She’s an 8-year-old child! The fact that a child is doing more than most adults should shake us, wake us up, bring us to repentance, and call us to action!
“About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?’ Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, ‘I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.’ ”
(Matthew 18:1-6) -NLT
Though good deeds like the ones seen in Sophie’s story are good, her story should call attention to the fact that the bare minimum is done so infrequently that it gets highlighted as an unusual occurrence when it does happen. This simply should not be! Acts of love – as seen in Sophie’s story – should be a regular occurrence! The bare minimum love should be an everyday affair! These bare minimum acts of love should occur so frequently that a news story such as the one seen with Sophie should not catch people off guard in order to warm their hearts. Think of the absurdity of hearts becoming warmed over the mere pilot light of the bare minimum! Our hearts should be a fiery furnace where above-and-beyond love is forged in faith, hardened only in holiness, and strengthened by our Savior!
Jesus told us that we need to be like children; however, in 1Corinthians 13:11, Paul says, “When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things.” So, did Paul contradict Jesus by telling everyone not to be like children? No. Critical examination reveals the deep discovery that those two Scriptures are complementary, not contradictory. Jesus told us to possess the good qualities of children: we are to be humble, loving, helpful, giving, joyful, inviting others into joy, making good use of our creativity, living by faith and trusting in the Father, etc. Paul was instructing us to be mature in our understanding and to stay in alignment with living a life of sacrificial love. Thus, Jesus and Paul both instruct us to do the same things even though they approached the same topic from opposite ends.
The ‘extra mile’ challenge of Matthew 5:41 is for us to show love instead of seeking revenge. The context surrounding this specific verse is in regards to retaliation. And in the very next section, Jesus exhorts us to love our enemies.
We must remember that Jesus and the disciples lived in a time period under the Roman Empire. One of the Roman Empire’s marvels of their conquest was a vast system of highways that they had built for travel to and from their conquered territories. There were more than 50,000 miles of these Roman roads throughout the Empire. At each single mile was a stone marker. These mile markers pointed directions, determined the distance to the next town as well as to Rome itself, and warned of dangers that might lie ahead. Hence the common phrase “All roads lead to Rome.” Back in Jesus’ day, Roman soldiers could lawfully force able-bodied civilians to carry their gear (which could weigh upwards of 100 pounds) for one mile. It was unfair, inconvenient, took them away from working for their own livelihood, and it was often backbreaking and even infuriating because it was oppressive. Jesus exhorted His followers to respond in a new and unexpected way, one that would reflect the generous love of GOD’s Kingdom instead of unlawful resistance or revenge (Matthew 5:39). This teaching was definitely unexpected and seemed absolutely absurd. The Jews had expected their Messiah to be a warrior who would overthrow the Roman Empire and release them from their oppression. And yet Jesus – the Messiah – told everyone to not only carry the Roman solider’s gear for a mile as the Roman law commanded of them, but to willingly carry it a second mile!
The first mile is the carrying of another’s burden. It is obligation, duty, and the law. Carrying a soldier’s heavy gear a second mile might seem outrageous, but that’s often what it takes to turn the tables lovingly on our so-called enemies. This is the common theme found all throughout the Bible: the Great Reversal! It’s a powerful and hopeful way to respond, one that reflects the new life of GOD’s coming Kingdom. And it’s one of countless ways to emulate the gracious love of our “Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:45,48).
In those ancient days, Jews were strict and set on GOD’s Law. There were 613 laws and all of them were to be kept at all cost! It was as if they demanded that religion must be a ritual and they should prefer tradition over Truth! In Matthew 12, the religious Pharisees wanted to condemn Jesus and His disciples for helping and healing people on the Sabbath! In the Gospel of Luke, the synagogue leader condemned Jesus for healing a woman on the Sabbath, but Jesus exposed the lie from the religious hypocrisy and revealed the truth that the Law is only the bare minimum:
“But the Lord replied, ‘You hypocrites! Each of you works on the Sabbath day! Don’t you untie your ox or your donkey from its stall on the Sabbath and lead it out for water? This dear woman, a daughter of Abraham, has been held in bondage by Satan for eighteen years. Isn’t it right that she be released, even on the Sabbath?’ This shamed his enemies, but all the people rejoiced at the wonderful things he did.”
(Luke 13:15-17) -NLT
Jesus took the Ten Commandments and instructed us to do more than expected. In fact, Jesus taught that GOD’s commands are the bare minimum. As superheroes, we are not called to be a blue cord believer or a bare minimum bum.
The Jews of Christ’s day abused the bare minimum law in order to extract every last penny from another, and in the majority of cases, there was no mercy shown. Human nature – being what it was then and still is now – the Jews insisted that the one who caused the problem receive every bit of punishment coming to him. What GOD designed as a system of justice with mercy (Leviticus 19:18; Proverbs 24:28-29; 25:21-22; Lamentations 3:30-31) had been distorted over the years into a license for revenge. And it was this misapplication of the Law that Jesus attacked. Jesus shined the light of Truth onto the heart of the matter: disciples are to accurately reflect the love of GOD by going above and beyond the call of duty. The call of duty is the bare minimum, but Jesus expects us to go the extra mile.
Now, what’s the difference between revenge and avenge? Revenge is to take it upon oneself to exact punishment upon an offender or perceived offender as seen in Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:21. There’s no mercy in revenge. An avenger, however, seeks vengeance for another. Essentially, an avenger is the one who seeks justice for the victim. Understand this: Marvel has made some great movies with the Avengers; superhero movies are entertaining and inspiring; however, GOD declares that vengeance belongs to Him and He is the One who will avenge us; GOD is the Avenger (Deuteronomy 32:35; Matthew 26:52; Romans 12:17-19). Our duty is to love unconditionally, expose lies, reveal Truth, but to do so respectfully with care and concern (Ephesians 4:15; 1Peter 3:14-17).
In regards to resisting retaliation and GOD being the Avenger, Jesus is not speaking of dangerous situations, like encountering a person in a dark alley who has intent to rape or kill you; we have the right to preserve purity and life. Jesus is referring to circumstances of daily life that are insulting, bothersome, or even mildly injurious, but not life-threatening. Jesus desires that, rather than retaliating and acting with the same attitude of hatred as the aggressor, we should recall our calling and suppress the urge to seek revenge. Just as evil cannot cast out evil (Matthew 12:25-28), we simply cannot fight evil with evil. In fact, Paul instructs us not to repay evil for evil, reiterating what Jesus taught (Romans 12:17). But Paul goes even further than merely instructing us not to do evil:
“My friends, don’t try to get even. Leave room for God to show his anger. It is written, ‘I am the One who judges people. I will pay them back,’—(Deuteronomy 32:35) — says the Lord. Do just the opposite. Scripture says, ‘If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. By doing those things, you will pile up burning coals on their heads.’ —(Proverbs 25:21-22) — Don’t let evil overcome you. Overcome evil by doing good.”
(Romans 12:19-21) –NIRV
An example of above-and-beyond or extra-mile love is the true story of Jim Elliot and the other martyred missionaries. In 1956, five Americans traveled to the jungles of Ecuador to bring the Gospel of Christ to the remote Waorani Indians. Due to a grave misunderstanding, the natives killed the missionaries out of fear. Jim’s wife, Elisabeth, after being notified of her husband’s death, went the extra mile and took her 3-year old daughter and moved into the Waorani village to minister to her husband’s killers. She was also accompanied by the sister of one of the murdered missionaries. The team of women served the natives for two years. The tribe was eventually won over by the loving ministry, and they gradually accepted the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You can read the entire true story from the book, “Through Gates of Splendor” written by Elisabeth Elliot. Not only does this true story exemplify above-and-beyond or extra-mile love, but it also reveals that women are more than capable of being superheroes! In fact, the Bible reveals that GOD loves females and uses females to do good work in this world.
Do you believe loving is easy? The truth is that if loving someone is easy, then it’s not extra-mile love:
“If you only love the lovable, do you expect a pat on the back? Run-of-the-mill sinners do that. If you only help those who help you, do you expect a medal? Garden-variety sinners do that. If you only give for what you hope to get out of it, do you think that’s charity? The stingiest of pawnbrokers does that.”
(Luke 6:32-34) -MSG
Another great example of above-and-beyond or extra-mile love can be seen in Acts 16:16-40. Paul and Silas got beaten and thrown into jail. The jailer was ordered not to allow Paul and Silas to escape. However, a massive earthquake created openings and provided Paul and Silas with the way out. The jailer, believing that he would be held responsible for Paul and Silas’ escape pulled out his sword with intentions of killing himself; however, Paul stopped the jailer from committing suicide and showed him that he and Silas were still there. Paul and Silas were provided the easy way out. But understand this: the easy way out usually doesn’t help others. Even though Paul and Silas had been beaten and thrown into jail, they went the extra mile for the person in charge of their imprisonment. This above-and-beyond love caused the jailer and his entire household to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior and thus get saved. Above-and-beyond love is how we overcome evil with good!
Above-and-beyond or extra-mile love requires sacrifice, but it also requires faith in GOD that He will act in His timing to set up the Great Reversal so that the so-called enemies will be saved. Take for example Joseph from the Old Testament: Joseph had been sold into slavery by his own brothers, but he went the extra mile to not only show mercy to his brothers later on, but to use his situation of suffering to help save the lives of many Egyptians and other surrounding nations.
“But Joseph replied, ‘Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.’ So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them.”
(Genesis 50:19-21) -NLT
We should be willing to take a loss if it adds to GOD’s glory. Where our treasure is, our heart is there also. But our treasure should be in Heaven (Matthew 6:19-21; Luke 12:34). You will care about whatever you deem to be valuable. That which you consider to be valuable will motivate your actions and guide you. Your heart is at the center of all you do and who you are. This is about loyalty and being single-focused. If you’re focused on GOD’s will, your treasure will be in Heaven; if your treasure is in Heaven, then Christ is your compass. Is your heart steering you to sin or salvation? Are you seeking treasure promised by Satan, society, or the Savior? Are you serving self or the Savior? Where is your treasure? By going above and beyond the call of duty, we accurately reflect the love of GOD.
Truly, no one has ever gone so above and beyond as the One who willingly sacrificed Himself on our behalf in order to save us from ourselves. Jesus knew rejection yet He willingly carried our burdens anyway. He was rejected, mocked, spat upon, beaten, lacerated, and then crucified. But Jesus carried our sins so that we could be blameless in His presence. Going the extra mile might require martyrdom, but love demands sacrifice if that’s the only solution (John 15:13).
The first mile is the mandated mile; the second is a miracle mile. But how can one get to the second miracle mile unless that person is first obedient in the first mile? The second mile is only made possible by being obedient to the first mile. I wonder if that Roman soldier at the cross who said, “Truly this was the Son of God,” might have had such an earlier experience with an extra-mile follower of Christ or if he simply recognized the above-and-beyond love of Jesus (Matthew 27:54).
How many people can come to know the love of Christ by encountering superheroes of faith who go the extra mile? In what ways can you deliver more than expected, to go the second mile, the Miracle Mile, with someone else today?
A secret to going the extra mile is found in the words of our Lord and Savior as He was being crucified:
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
(Luke 23:34) -ESV
Because the extra mile is always traveled with or for the unloving or the so-called enemy, forgiveness is key. Without forgiveness, you will have a frog in your jar that will devour your light.
Also, who said you had to stop at the second mile? Why not travel the third, fourth, fifth, or beyond? Just as Jesus didn’t tell us we have to forgive exactly 490 times (Matthew 18:21-22), we do not have to travel exactly two miles and then stop. The point is that we should not be keeping the score of the sins of others and reach an end of our ability to love simply because we want to do the bare minimum.
“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.”
(Galatians 5:22-25) -NLT
The first mile is required due to the Law – the absolute standard and bare minimum! The second mile is grace – this is the mile where miracles become possible! So many people complain about not seeing miracles in their lives yet they refuse to walk the first required mile of the bare minimum of obedience, let alone the second mile. Is it any wonder why they don’t see any miracles? The first mile of obedience must be walked out if we are ever to begin the extra miles, which are the miracle miles. The second mile is grace, but the third and beyond is exactly that – above and beyond! Just as we are supposed to give with a cheerful heart and not out of compulsion (2Corinthians 9:7), we are to also willingly serve people with a cheerful heart! Let love lead! And if by love you feel compelled to travel an extra mile or above and beyond, then walk in obedience! Be the superhero Christ called you to be!
Quest For Truth 
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