Have you ever had the task of helping someone whose task seems never to have an end? Or, after you have worked tirelessly and exhaustively you found out that there is one last effort to make for it to one step closer to perfection, and you did not go the extra mile? The only thought that stays after you looked back on the project or situation is the “what if” I went the extra mile. Most if not all the time that we go the extra mile we come across some extraordinary benefits that find a place in our long term memory bank. The fact is that most of us, unless there are going to be some evident benefits coming our way, we are not willing to go the extra mile. The origin of going the extra mile is found in the sermon of the mount in Matthews 5:41 where Jesus tells the listeners 41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. In this state Jesus’ reference to the extra mile was because of the Roman law which obligated the Jewish peasant to carry a soldiers back pack for a mile. The idea of going the extra mile was to gain a form of justice; what was rightly due to them.
John 20:6-15
6 Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”
Mary, Peter and John (the disciple whom Jesus loved) found themselves with the decision of whether to go the extra mile or not. Mary came to the tomb where the Master was buried and found it empty and she ran to where the disciples were to give them the news. The disciples, after being astonished with the news decided to run to the tomb and John ran faster then Peter, but when he made it to the tomb stopped and did not enter while Peter ran in. Now, this scripture lures to us understand the John’s unbelief stops him from entering the tomb, because in order to go the extra mile you need faith. Peter, however, enters the tomb and sees the scenario and leaves. He did not wait a sufficient amount of time; the extra mile, to see what would happen. Mary, on the other hand, waited more then what she needed; the extra mile, to be the first to see the risen Lord. There is a promise to them who go the extra mile for the kingdom of heaven, the promise will come (Hab.2:3).
We are promised that if we wait we will see the glory of God and his salvation (La. 3:26). Impatience is doing away with many believers these day, we cannot wait till after the end of service or prayer and see what is going to happen. In God the party starts after the end kind of like what happened at the wedding in Cana where after the wine was all gone Jesus turned the water into really good wine (Jhn 2:10); the best is after the end. James write to the church that like the farmer waits until the very end or to the latter rain (Ja. 5:7), we too need to wait and be patient, because God will come through. The Psalmist writes I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints(ps 52:9). God always comes through when we go the extra mile in waiting for him.