Evangelicals, I fear we have missed the bus. We got on the wrong boat. We made good time, but we are going in the wrong direction. We got sidetracked along the way. We have voiced our battle cries against the wrong team. We took up the wrong banner to influence our world. We fight for our religious rights, but in doing so, we forget our religious responsibilities.

What does that look like today? Let’s say, for example, you are a baker, a florist, or a restaurant owner. Someone needs your services, but they live a lifestyle or maintain a belief system that is different from yours. You feel the need to deny them services, based on your rights, because of your disagreement. To serve them, you rationalize, only demonstrates that you approve of the item of dispute. The feeling is that, by helping the customer, you are saying their lifestyle or belief has merit or is acceptable. In your view, not assisting the customer is as a way of being “in the world, but not of the world.” You hold onto tightly your religious rights.

Somewhere along the path, we forgot the words Jesus gave us about how the world would know we belong to Him. Jesus gave us the model when He said, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” (John 13:35 NLT). Notice He didn’t say our political beliefs, our moral stands, or items in which we boycott. He demonstrated the action of love for us by not using His full power in a situation that had His death as the outcome. Love won then, and love can still win today. Love is our religious responsibility.

Jesus gave us a perfect pattern to deal with those we don’t agree. Jesus instructed us to love our enemies and to turn the other cheek if struck on one. Jesus told us to give to those that ask. Jesus stated that if someone sued us for our shirt, we should give him or her our coat as well. Jesus even told the people at that time that if a Roman soldier compelled them by law to carry their pack for a mile that they should haul it for two miles (See Matthew 5:38-48 NLT).

What’s this “second mile” Jesus spoke about? Roman law stated that at any time a Roman soldier demanded a Jewish citizen carry his pack, the Jew was compelled to walk one mile, with the pack, for the soldier. Not doing so would put them in danger of all sorts of trouble and persecution. Jesus knew that during the first mile the soldier was in charge. The pack carrier was doing that which was required. He or she was exercising their rights. There is no impression made on another party for merely maintaining one’s rights.

Walking the second mile, however, put the pack carrier in charge. The second mile, which is a gift given in love, opens up a conversation whereby the pack carrier now has the full attention of the soldier. The same reaction comes when you turn your cheek, give more than the lawsuit called for, and give when asked. Our religious responsibility of love gives us the most significant chance of influencing people. Jesus also called this behavior as being “salt and light” to the world.

Therefore, let’s bake the cake, prepare the floral arrangement, or serve a meal. If we know it is a person that doesn’t believe the same as we do, then let’s offer our services at cost or a discount. That would be an excellent “second mile.” If you still feel it approves of their beliefs or lifestyle, I can assure you the Jews held no greater distaste than with the Romans when Jesus gave this command. The Jews of that day would have disagreed with the sinful lifestyle, worship of false gods, and the daily terror and fear the Romans offered. Despite the cultural hatred, Jesus said don’t just do what is required by your rights but instead give more by walking the extra mile, turning the other cheek and giving more than the lawsuit demands, which fulfills our religious responsibilities. These actions are what influences and best serve humanity.

So offer the services at a discount. The “second mile’ taken here gives you the opportunity to share love rather than judgment. This “second mile” puts you in the place of influence in the lives of people that need to experience love in a world that enjoys hating. This “second mile” gives you the opportunity to speak into their lives in a way that rejection or holding onto your “rights” will never offer. This “second mile” will convince you that these customers are people that God created in His image.

When I operated a recreation center for a church, I had one senior adult woman that was afraid of the crowd that was coming in to play pickup basketball in our church’s gymnasium. I invited her to sit, watch, and get to know the people she believed to be “thugs and thieves.” As she got to know them and heard their stories, she discovered that her preconceived ideas were utterly wrong. She saw the crowd as people that needed God’s love, and basketball became the conduit she used to share that love.

I believe what gets us in the most trouble is when we start demanding our religious rights. In doing that, we tend to make judgments and neglect our religious responsibilities. We lose the “salt and light” that guides people toward God. The world will never know about God’s love when we hold out for our rights.

Bake a cake, serve the customer, walk the second mile, and give more than is requested, which fulfills our great religious responsibility. In doing so, you will get to know the people you are serving and can greater demonstrate God’s love to the world.

Love wins!