The Extra Mile

   Picture that you have just finished the last thing you need to do after work. It is a Friday and you are ready to go home to your family and enjoy the weekend. You grab your coat and pack your bag. You pull your keys out and start to walk away when suddenly you hear your co-worker. He asks you to help him finish part of this project.
   Now, you had just put in a full day of work. You were diligent and finished all of your tasks. Then this co-worker has the gall to ask you to help him! You have a choice. You could stay and help him or you could make up an excuse and say you had to get home. I just want you to think about what you would do...
   Meanwhile let's look at what the Bible says about this. In Matthew 5 Jesus is giving instruction to people. He begins to talk about the idea of "an eye for an eye" in verse 38. He says that if someone strikes your right cheek let him strike the other as well. He goes on to say "If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles" (Mat.5.40). Now, some of you may be saying "what does that mean? How can someone force me to go a mile?" Others may be saying "my coach, or trainer, would make me do that." Still others may be saying "If I had to go a mile, let alone two, I would fall over and God would take me to heaven!"
   Let's look at the context of this verse. Back in this time the Roman Empire was in charge. Roman guards had a lot to carry at times. It was legal for a Roman soldier to pull someone at random to help him carry his things. The soldier could only force that person to carry his things for a mile. Thus, Jesus was saying to go another mile with that soldier. Think about that: it is an inconvenience for you, it is a very hard job, and you are pulled away from what you need to do.
   Back to my first situation: what would you do? Would you have stayed to help your co-worker? Jesus would say that not only should you stay but you should also help him finish the project! You may be asking "why should I help? What if my co-worker takes all of the credit?" He may do that but we cannot control the actions of others. We can only control our own actions. Who knows? Maybe your helping the co-worker out will lead the co-worker to Christ.
   So, when people ask you to help will you help? Will you follow the teachings of Jesus? Will you choose to go the extra mile?

   Matthew 5:38-42 and Colossians 3:23

   Image from here.

Demon: When You Don't Have a Choice

   If you saw this title, and image, what would you think of the book? We are told not to judge a book by its cover yet we seem to do it all the time. Let me tell you a little bit about this book and lessons I have learned from it.
   The whole story is about a demon who tells his story to an editor. This editor really wants to be a writer but none of his books did well. In the end this editor realizes how much we take for granted. We can have a relationship with God! Can demons have a relationship with God? No, they are trapped in a place without God.
   Humans have a choice. We can choose whether we will walk with God or not. Meanwhile demons chose once and they are now stuck with their choice. Some of us may say: "Well I'm a good person, I don't need God."
   Ha, this book throws that idea out the window. If we choose to do this life on our own then we will be judged by our actions. If we even had one sin, either by commission or omission, then we cannot be with God.  He cannot be with anything that is not pure or unholy. We would end up being like the demons that chose to follow Lucifer.
   God is gracious toward us. We get chance after chance to choose his way. We get chance after chance to choose to follow him. Meanwhile demons don't. How can we be so ungrateful or prideful to think that we can get to heaven on our own when the demons don't get a second chance? If we choose to do this on our own we will go to Hell just like the demons.
   I encourage you to check out this book. It gives you a new perspective on God, demons, and people from the Bible.
   So, have you chosen to walk through this life with God? If you haven't, will you choose to walk with him today? 

   Romans 3:10 and Proverbs 3:5-6
   Image found here.  

Making Mistakes

   One day I was out watching my students at recess. I saw one child playing on a piece of playground equipment. This child is very strong and outgoing. He had gotten himself up on top of a pole. He then grabbed another pole and was trying to get across to this other pole to the point where his body was horizontal across these two poles.
   Now, with today's standards many parents would probably be saying "you need to stop him, that is dangerous." I thought about stopping him but I knew he would learn a lesson no matter what happened. He did make it across to the other pole and then he celebrated. He worked hard to get where he wanted to go and was rewarded because he made it.
   I know there are parents out there who want to protect their kids. I'm not saying that some protection is wrong. What I am saying is what I say to my students, "you need to try. If you try your best and you mess up will Miss Scheuing be upset?" The students always say, "no." My students know that they learn by making mistakes.
   I think that we have forgotten that in this day and age. We are so afraid to mess up that we stay inside our comfort zone. We end up missing opportunities because we choose to not do new things. My students would not be rewarded with the ability to read if they did not try something new. My players would not have the skills they have today if they did not join a new team or try a new drill. I would not be rewarded with all the gifts and opportunities God has given me if I stopped trying new things.
   Making mistakes is okay. It may not be fun, but if you make a mistake you are more likely to try something new next time. Above all else, when you make a mistake remember, "there was only one perfect man and he walked on water. Can you do that?"
   So will you choose to step outside your comfort zone to gain new opportunities and grow? Will you guide and encourage others to step outside their comfort zones? How can you step outside your comfort zone today?

   Joshua 1:9, 2 Peter 3:18, Romans 5:2-6

   Image found here.