Jesus said, “And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him two.” Matthew 5:41
We all know people who go beyond their assigned duties – we call that process, going the extra mile! Just recently one of our Fifa volunteers called me to ask if the Muslim family from Damascus who are scheduled to share Thanksgiving Dinner with her family, required “halal” meat? I didn’t understand the term “halal” until I Googled it and found the following:
The Islamic form of slaughtering animals or poultry. Animals must be alive and healthy at the time of slaughter and all blood is drained from the carcass.
When I understood her question, I replied that since the wife comes to our class with a hijab covering her head, I believe that she would appreciate the special cut of meat. My friend then pursued the specific shop where she could find a turkey for the Thanksgiving meal, butchered in the proper context. This volunteer also walked the extra mile.
Jesus went the extra mile for us, securing our freedom from rules about eating, drinking and wearing specific clothes. Jesus went all the way to the cross, destroying Satan’s power through His own suffering and death on our behalf. He took away the power of death and the devil. We trust in His Grace for all we need in this life and our life to come!
My volunteer friend assured me that alongside the halal turkey she will be serving, there will also be a large serving of Grace at the table, beginning with prayer. Both of us are praying that Thanksgiving Day will result in a friendship that grows and the Gospel will be shared in all its power and glory!
