If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.
Matthew 5:41

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
Matthew 5:44

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There is a scene in the television series, “The Chosen” where Jesus and His disciples are traveling along a dusty road. They are approached by Roman soldiers, and within minutes, they drop their belongings to carry those of the soldiers. In ancient times, when the Roman soldiers were traveling, if they passed a Jewish person on the road, they were legally allowed to force them to leave their possessions on the side of the road and make the Jewish person carry their heavy gear. But in a supposed humanitarian gesture, they were only allowed to force the Jewish person to go one mile. In the scene in “The Chosen,” when they reach the one-mile distance, Jesus instructs the disciples to go another mile—the second mile. The disciples grumble with frustration but follow Jesus’s example.  

Beautifully, the military men gradually soften and take back their helmets and heavy equipment. The scene demonstrates today’s verses in action—showing the deep effect “loving your enemy” can have. The effect is deeper than any word of witness because every living person understands how incredibly difficult it is to love someone who has hurt or offended you.

In addition to going the second mile, Jesus told us to pray for our enemies because that, in turn, softens our hearts and changes our behavior towards our enemies.

During a team meeting involving several eighth-grade teachers, I was betrayed. One of the teachers was a close personal friend of the principal. Immediately following the meeting she ran into the principal’s office and terribly misrepresented something I said.  She was the type of person who liked to stir up drama, and I was not the only person she “stabbed in the back” regularly. My “second-mile” moment came at a district meeting when an educator from another building asked me with a conspiratorial grin, “So what’s it like working with [insert her name].”

I took a beat and replied, “She has excellent command of her subject matter.” The grin disappeared from the gossiper’s face, and the conversation turned to work. I could only do this in that moment because I had been challenged by this verse to pray for her even though she regularly undermined me.

I am lucky not to have true “enemies”—I struggle enough praying for and forgiving the people who have simply hurt my feelings. I do know, however, that the way forward through small offenses and large crimes requires a willingness to go the second mile and a lot of prayers. Loving an enemy is beyond human ability and supernatural intervention is necessary. Miracles happen—persecutors may be broken by deep love, and witnesses will be amazed that retribution and grudges are set aside. A vision of Heaven on earth, where love rules the day. An objective easier said than done. 

Next Steps

Will you be with difficult people today and tomorrow? Pray for them now. Not the prayer that says, “fix them”, but a heartfelt prayer of love and concern for their wellbeing. During the inevitable stressful moment in their presence, pray for yourself, for patience, control, and a soft heart.

And if you’re interested, take a look at this clip from the scene in “The Chosen” when they go the second mile.