The Sermon on the Mount is full of incredible advice. This week’s passage is no exception.

Take a look at Matthew 5:40-42.

Jesus is giving us the instructions to go the extra mile… literally.

This is another of those passages that I find hard to do. When people seem to be set against me, especially those who are antagonistic towards me, I don’t want to be very accommodating to them. I guess that’s human nature.

Jesus’ message throughout the Sermon on the Mount is full of things that seem opposite of human nature. Things that are hard to do. Hard even to want to do sometimes.

And then he tells us to give to the one who asks, and not to turn away fro the one who wants to borrow. How many times do we skim over this sentence when we read the Sermon on the Mount? This sounds extremely similar to Acts 2, where the church meets one another’s needs.

And it’s another tough command to follow. Especially in light of the context in which it’s written: people who are set against us.

But seeing our lives emulating his makes the effort worth it.

Do you have trouble giving and lending to others? Let me know in the comments.