There Are No Traffic Jams

Along The Extra Mile

When I walk on the treadmill I have downloaded trails on my iPad that I like to “walk on” . Obviously they are only on the screen but it keeps me focused and helps me pass the time easier. The trails are all different, some are on the beach, some in the mountains along side steep cliffs, some through marshy areas and some are in the big city. As I was walking and calculating the distance I had walked, I started thinking about that extra mile.

Could I walk an extra mile today? Maybe but maybe not! I decided my legs would probably turn into jello and it was a really bad idea. However, the wheels started turning in my mind and I contemplated that extra mile in our lives. Are we willing to push ourselves beyond what is required?  If so, then at what cost?

I saw an advertisement about the Olympics that will be held later this summer.  One of the athletes made a comment about how when his coach tells him he has run faster than ever before, he still believes he can run faster. These are the greatest athletes in the world and many are competing against themselves, for they themselves have set the record to be beat. They are raising the bar, raising the standard. Many have competed in a number of Olympic games.

When we are searching for a company to provide a service, we look for one that “goes the extra mile”. Maybe they have longer hours to accommodate their clientele, or maybe their guarantee is better than their competitors. Maybe their customer service is second to none. They have established their reputation based on going the extra mile.

I know people that when you ask them to do something, they always go the extra mile. They go above and beyond the requirements and their integrity is fully on display. You know you can depend on them because they have left a legacy that speaks for itself.

We can look back through history at the people who have been willing to go that extra mile. They have left footprints  that are worthy to be followed. Many are household names we would all recognize. There are many more that we have never heard of but they have been carefully recorded by our Heavenly Father. Nothing we ever do for someone goes unnoticed.

That little “extra” is what distinguishes ordinary from extraordinary. There are many great athletes in the world who wish they could compete in the Olympics. It is those that went the extra mile that win the opportunity.  Some overcame great hardships, some even overcame physical handicaps but all sacrificed much of their personal life to compete.

I believe we as God’s children need to go the extra mile in whatever task He has required of us. Some of us will never attain fame in any capacity. We can be the best at whatever He has called us to be though.  We can be the best wife, mother, friend, example, etc… we can go that extra mile. At the end of the road we will hear those words “well done “.