Abandon hatred

Going the extra mile demonstrates a genuine love for God. Christian Science teaches that we each have the capacity to love in the face of animosity, hatred, or injustice. If we have an altercation with someone, we can trust that even though we may not be in agreement, we can both walk in the same direction.  That frees us to walk even farther and get a clearer sense of our next steps.

But does going the extra mile mean that we roll over and “take it” when falsely accused or attacked? When presented with a question like this, I like to refer to the Bible. I find that Jesus handled adverse situations by recognizing the original sinless nature of every man.  He proved that abandoning hatred in any form takes away its power.  Jesus said, “Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44) That’s not rolling over or ignoring the problem. It is actively healing the situation with Truth and Love.  Talk about going the extra mile!

I can live Jesus’ example too—by praying to know that every one of God’s children has full capacity to express love and honesty. Doing so gives me the calm sense to resist any temptation to judge or condemn. It gives me confidence to reject thoughts that I am a victim of hatred.  So even though I may not be led to scream, shout, and push back on someone who is attacking my character, I can actively pray to resolve the problem at its root—the same way Jesus did.

Mary Baker Eddy, the discoverer of Christian Science, reinforces Jesus’ teachings in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures when she writes, “The power of God brings deliverance to the captive. No power can withstand divine Love.” (224:29-31)  Going the extra mile means active and humble prayer to recognize and love the God-given qualities expressed in everyone.

Expressing Love,
Ted Gast