More Than The Required Is The Required

Philemon 1:21
Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

Matthew 5:40-41
And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.

Apostle Paul writes to Philemon requesting him to forgive Onesimus who was his slave. Onesimus was a slave to Philemon. Onesimus stole things from Philemon and ran away. While on the run, Onesimus met Paul and was converted to Christianity. Now Paul writes to Philemon asking him to forgive Onesimus and receive him back so that they work together in church business. Paul pleads with Philemon but also reminds him that it is a Christian requirement to forgive and restore those who err. Our text today is at the end of his letter and he tells Philemon that he is sure he will obey the letter and even do more than is required.

Paul expects Philemon to obey the letter. Paul defines obedience to the letter as following what the letter requires and doing more than is required. You can do what is required grudgingly and still be seen as obedient. When you do more than is required, more than is expected of you, you demonstrate that the obedience is not under duress. Therefore true obedience is not in strictly following what is required, but in doing more than is required. More than the required is the required!

Jesus asked us to also do more than the required. In the text from Matthew cited above, Jesus asked all believers to always do more than is required. If you are being sued for a shirt, Jesus said you should be willing to even give the coat that is not required. More than the required is the required. If you are forced to go one mile, go a second mile that was not required. More than the required is the required!

If you are required to be at work at 8:00 am, you can arrive earlier. If you are required to leave your work station at 4:00 pm, you can delay longer to finish the work at hand. When you do the strictly expected, there is no evidence that you love your work. You could just be avoiding job loss by doing the bare minimum. True passion and love are demonstrated by doing more than the required. More than the required is the required!

2 Corinthians 9:7 tells us that God loves a cheerful giver. When you give exactly what is expected, you may be doing it under fear of punishment. You can give the exact amount because you fear losses and you want blessings but you do not love God or His work, therefore you just give the exact amount. God is not interested in those who give exact and are doing so grudgingly. God expects that all who give would do it without being forced and they should do so cheerfully. Those who gladly give will always give more than the required. More than the required is the required!

We are required to attend church services, do more than is required, come early, and do not rush to leave. We are required to help the poor, do not just give tokens but show them love and warm friendship. We are required to participate in church activities, do so, and do it passionately. More than the required is the required!

At our workplaces, we will stand out as better workers if we do more than the required. There are people who do more than the required in order to please some Boss and get their favor. We should make it a habit to do more than the required. Students should not just study to pass as is required, they should study to understand much more than what will be examined. More than the required is the required!

Husbands should do more than what is required for them to do for their wives and children. Wives should do more than what is required for them to do for their husbands and children. Children should do more than what is required for them to do for their parents. Relationships will greatly improve if only we strive to do more than what is required. We should not just forgive, but also forget and never bring it up. We should not just love, but also play together. We should not just serve food, but serve the favorite. We should not just provide school necessities, we can also provide toys and other extra curriculum stuff. More than the required is the required!

In your relationship with God, do more than the required. In your work and business, do more than the required. In your studies, do more than the required. In your relationships, do more than the required. In your healthful living, do more than the required. When this becomes your habit, you will never feel forced and you will do things gladly, and in a way that attracts others and makes you attractive. Those who do more than the required are also valued highly. More than the required is the required!

Dear God, help me to make it a habit to do more than the required in all that is required of me, in Jesus’ name, Amen!