Experience Second-Mile Success! William Carey is one of the great heroes of faith and is also an honored reformer in the history of India. The personal sacrifices and struggles that he endured to achieve his life calling are remarkable. He labored for many years to translate the Bible for the people of India. In 1812, a fire destroyed Careys massive polyglot dictionary, two grammar books, sets of type for 14 Eastern languages, and whole versions of the Bible. However, Carey was undaunted and said, The loss is heavy, but as traveling a road the second time is usually done with greater ease and certainty than the first time, so I trust the work will lose nothing of real value ... . We are cast down but not in despair. Through his lifelong labors, the Bible was eventually translated into languages that would reach a third of the worlds population, and a college was established to carry on his work. His life teaches us an important lesson: Success rarely comes to those who are prepared to walk only the first mile. Jesus explains this point in a significant parable: “Which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not. So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do (Luke 17:7-10). In the early 1900s a young man interviewed for a job at a car plant, but was told that he would not be able to have the job. As he looked around the plant, he was surprised to see how dirty and cluttered the floors were. The next morning, he arrived early and swept the floors. When the boss came in and saw what he had done, he said, Son, you have the job. That young man was a second-miler. He went on to become very successful in business, and he also became a military hero. If we do only what is required of us, we are identified by Jesus as unprofitable servants. Going the second mile to restore relationships and fulfill obligations should become a way of life in all areas, since Jesus made it clear that what we do for others, we actually do for Him. “Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23-24). Would your employer say that you go the second mile on a job? If in doubt, purpose now to become a second-miler. Through Christ our Lord, Bill Gothard
Posted on: Mon, 18 Nov 2013 15:21:49 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015