I should point out that I had done a 3 Mile dog walk prior to the cycle ride too. You’d think the weight would be falling off me wouldn’t you…… Well it is! 2kg lost last week, Yippee!

Today I reverted to my favoured 11 mile circuit, Milton Bryan to Hockcliffe to Lords Hill and joy of joys my average speed had improved to 14mph with a top speed of 36mph. That was a bit scary actually, on the drop handlebars downhill, top gear, crappy road, suffering slightly from a hangover.

Probably wont go out again today, cycling kit is somewhat pongy now, the sun is shining and there is some beer left from last night……..

But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.
But love your enemies, do god, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great and you will be sons of the Most High . For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.
Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful- Luke 6:32-36

I think one of the most things that differentiates us from others is Jesus’ commandment that we should always go that extra mile not only with our loved ones and friends but also with our enemies. We are commanded to go extra miles with all people, to love those who won’t love us, give those who won’t give us, and be merciful to those who won’t have mercy on us. This is why we are different, that extra mile.

God has sent me this message last week in reality, however, He worked in me the entire week to make me understand what that extra mile is. On Sunday, I was studying for an exam that was going to take place the next day. I was studying so hard for it while my classmates were taking it so easy. I made my usual notes of my studies that I was going to revise from while my classmates didn’t prepare that hard. So the next day, one of the guys came up to me, and seeing that I made some valuable notes, he asked if he could copy them. I said no.

Why on earth would I give all that hard work to someone who refused to do any effort? I studied so hard and didn’t have enough sleeping. Why would I give it?

After getting that harsh answer from a girl who seemed nice and flexible, my classmate went out of the library in disappointment. That moment, a feeling of distress, discomfort and guilt covered my soul. I didn’t go that extra mile. If he studied or if he didn’t regardless of the reasons he might have had, I should have gone that extra mile and gave him my notes. I didn’t know if he would give me his notes if I were in his place, I shouldn’t care if he would or wouldn’t, I should have given him what he asked for because God told me to go that extra mile. After thinking and repenting, I copied my notes and went around searching for him on campus to give him what he had asked.

Jesus came for a generation that will back-stab him; He came for Judas that will betray him; He died for humans that will always go back to sinning. However, He was sure when  he died on the cross for people that didn’t love him, that betrayed him, and that tortured him. He never hesitated in going that extra mile.

At the end of the week, I had an another exam. I borrowed the book from the library and while I was studying for it, a friend wanted to copy some chapters of the book. I gave without hesitation. She took about 50 minutes from my study time to photocopy those chapters. After she was done, it was too late for me to study and I didn’t have a book at home. I asked her if I could borrow her copies because I didn’t have a book at home. Her answer was a no. I was upset and disappointed. My exam was early in the morning and if I didn’t study at night, I couldn’t the next day. I had to borrow some money from a friend to buy the book. And as I was studying from the book, my friend came and asked whose book it was and I said, it was mine and that I bought the book. I knew that moment she needed to photocopy the rest of the chapters but couldn’t borrow the book of the library because someone else borrowed it. This time, she had no idea who borrowed it. She was shy to ask me to photocopy my book, but I made my mind up when I bought the book that if she asks me again, I would give her without hesitation because I was determined to go that extra mile this time. Too bad she didn’t ask. I hope she was able to find the book.

What I mean from this experience I had is, sometimes you are required to go that extra mile for people who won’t do the same to you. You might be required to lend things to those who would never lend to you and love those won’t love you. This is what makes us, Christians, different. Our constant goodness and love without any expectation from others.

Therefore, we must train ourselves to go that extra mile with people around us. Let is give to those we know they will never give back to us, love those who will never love us, and be good to those won’t be good to us ever. Let’s go that extra mile with everyone around us, from our brethren to our worst enemies.

Go an extra mile today!

You could really tell that the people who came in today were the really dedicated ones, the ones that normally stayed at the end to do extra core exercises when most of the class had left, the ones that you could really see results from. It’s that extra bit of dedication, the extra time and effort that makes the difference, that makes a person “fit” instead of not “not overweight”, that goes from “above average” to “outstanding”.

You know that saying, “going the extra mile?” I think it should be amended, or at least, prefaced with “staying the extra hour”, because it’s that extra bit of practice, that work ethic, that allows someone to go the extra mile.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Expect a drool-worthy, pic-filled entry tomorrow.

20/365.