Sermon On The Mount

Well, we are not going to focus on these people today, but I do want to focus on the idea of standing out from the crowd. In my last post, I talked about this passage from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount:

“You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may show yourselves to be sons of your Father in heaven. For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing out of the ordinary? Don’t even the Gentiles do the same?
Matthew 5:43-47

We Are To Stand Out

I went on to point out how this passage leads us to the conclusion that Jesus wants to see us stand out from the crowd. He does not want us to look like everyone else when it comes to our actions.

Not only is this true in our personal lives, but it should also be true in our businesses and careers. If we are Christians in the marketplace, then our business actions and decisions should not blend in with those of the world around us. We should stand out from the crowd in the way we operate our businesses and perform our jobs.

Why Stand Out?

The question we did not cover in that last post is WHY He wants us to do this.

Unlike our friends that dress differently for the attention or spotlight, we have another purpose for standing out in this world. So that you are not simply taking my word on this, I want to refer to some Scriptures to make my case.

In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:16

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.
1 Peter 3:15

Point Others To God

Folks, our purpose for being here on earth, for even existing, is to point others toward God. We are here for the purpose of bringing Him glory. This can happen through our behaviors, actions, and decisions. We can bring Him glory with our relationships and with our careers.

We CANNOT bring Him glory if we blend in and look like the world around us. We must stand out, causing others to see us and wonder why it is we stand out. When this happens, they will likely ask us why we are behaving like this. When they do, it is our opportunity to give them the reason for the hope we have!

Requires Faith

Keep in mind, I understand that what I am proposing is not easy. It requires faith that God will take care of us and that we will not suffer harm as a result.

There will be times that the choice between blending in and standing out can be scary. The temptation will be to play it safe and blend in. All I can say is that this kind of behavior is short-term thinking.

God is real and He will honor the one that is fully committed to him (2 Chronicles 16:9). He is not going to leave you or forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6,8). He will make your cause shine (Psalm 37:6).

Do You Believe?

He is calling us to stand out. If we will do it, He will get the glory and we will one day be rewarded. If we shy away and instead blend in, we will miss the opportunity to see Him act. If we do this, where is our faith? Do we really believe what we say we believe?

Have You Stopped To Think?

Much of what Jesus teaches is contrary to what the world teaches. What I want to look at today is not revolutionary at all. At the same time, I wonder how many of us have stopped to think about how we apply this aspect of Jesus’ teachings to our businesses or jobs. Maybe today’s post will help you do just that!

To start, let’s take a look at the Scripture that I want us to consider.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may show yourselves to be sons of your Father in heaven. For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing out of the ordinary? Don’t even the Gentiles do the same?
Matthew 5:43-47

Focus on the Spirit of The Passage

When you first read this passage, you were probably focused on what Jesus was telling us to do. Commands like “love your enemies” and “pray for those who persecute you” stand out because they are hard to live out. In fact, many of us feel like these are asking too much from us. I know I have felt this way.

While these are certainly good points to ponder, I want to step back a little. Rather than focusing on the specific commands, I want to look at the spirit of the passage, the intent. While I am not trying to minimize the commands, I think there is another idea here that might be useful to apply to our jobs and businesses.

Examples

Look back at the passage and read it again. Note the following phrases…

…show yourselves to be sons of your Father…Don’t even the tax collectors do the same?…what are you doing out of the ordinary? Don’t even the Gentiles do the same?

Pay Attention To The Patterns

Typically, when we see patterns of repetition like this in Scripture, we need to pay close attention. Repetition is often used to communicate a specific point, one that we need to heed.

In this case, the point I see is that we are to stand out. Beyond the specific commands to love and pray for our enemies, I think the bigger message is that as disciples of Jesus, we are to stand out from the world. It is not enough for us to do good things that others in the world do. We must go beyond and stand out!

Does Your Business Stand Out?

Let’s take a moment and think about this idea in the context of our business. Does our business stand out from those around us? Do we stand out from our colleagues in the way we handle customers – especially those difficult ones that no one wants to engage?

Do our working conditions stand out from other businesses? Do our benefits stand out? Is there a marked difference between the employee satisfaction in our business or team versus that of other companies around us? Do we smile more, have more fun, rise above hardship with more peace, etc. than those around us?

If not, why not? How hard is it to smile as much as everyone else? How hard is it to provide the same benefits and working conditions as everyone else provides? Is it really that tough to be just as good, nice, patient, etc. as those without Jesus?

Stop And Think

I encourage you to think about all of these questions. Think about them and apply them to your current situation, whether you are a business owner, leader, or employee. How can you stand out?

In addition, I want you to think about WHY Jesus calls us to stand out. What is His purpose in asking us to stand out and how should that purpose impact our actions? We will look at this in my next post.

How well does your business stand out?

What can you do to stand out more?

What are the downsides to this approach?

Photo by JeremyRichards / iStock

One of my favorite people in the whole world is Zig Ziglar! If you have ever met him or listened to him, it is likely that you feel the same! First of all, how can you not love his southern drawl?

But even without that, he just knows how to say things in a way that cuts to the heart of it all. The title of this post is a quote of Zig’s, “There is no traffic jam on the second mile!”

What Does The Bible Say?

To get a complete understanding of how this applies to us, let’s take a look at Scripture first. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus instructed his listeners that just doing the minimum required was not enough to be His follower. He gave them several examples of this kind of behavior.

One of these examples referred to a Roman law that required a Jew to carry a Roman soldier’s heavy pack for the distance of a mile. Jesus told his listeners in Matthew 5:41 that they were to carry the pack for a second mile.

Why The Second Mile?

Now why would he ask this? Well the Bible does not specify, but we can infer a likely possibility. Imagine the thoughts of the Roman soldier as he walked alongside the Jew carrying his heavy pack. He and the Jew both know that the obligation is for one mile.

What do you think the soldier’s thoughts would be as he neared the one mile mark and then continued past? When the Jew continued to carry the pack beyond that, don’t you think the soldier would be curious? Do you think he might ask what was going on?

Open Door for Witness and Influence

It is at this point that I believe the Jew would have the opportunity to explain his reasons, starting with Jesus’ teaching and how it had changed his own life. I believe the Roman soldier would then be wide open to hearing more from the Jew simply because he was willing to go the second mile, beyond his obligation.

So how does this apply to leadership? I think it is very applicable! As Christian leaders, I believe it is our goal to gain influence and to use that influence to point others toward Jesus. In his book, How to Run Your Business by THE BOOK, Dave Anderson says the following…

Going the first mile fulfills an obligation. By going the second mile, you earn the right to witness and influence.

Unlike The Majority

If we truly want to influence others by operating a Christian business, then we simply cannot just fulfill our obligations. We cannot do only what is required or necessary. This is expected! Zig’s quote is so powerful because he is saying that the vast majority of people stop at the first mile and skip out on the second mile! We cannot afford to be like the majority.

If we are serious about pointing others to Jesus, then we must open the door to opportunities to speak into the lives of others. This second mile behavior will help us do just that! When we go beyond our obligation in whatever the circumstance, we will get the attention of others. People will ask “Why?” and give us the opportunity to tell them!

Dave Anderson’s Tips

Here are Dave Anderson’s tips on going the second mile:

1. Accept the concept that each day you do less than you can, you become less than you are: personally, and in the eyes of others.
2. Embrace the promise of Galatians 6:9 – “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”
3. Realize that you may be one phone call away, one discipline away, or one effort away from your next breakthrough. Make it your goal to be totally used up when you die, leaving this world with no regrets.

So what part of this idea speaks to you?

Do you have any examples of open doors from going the second mile?

What can you do today that would open a door with someone?