2M2N
Two weeks Jason and I, along with several other members of the Access team, were invited to a Customer Appreciation event hosted by Chick-fil-A. Being the huge fan of CFA that I am, it didn’t take me long to agree to attend. I wasn’t surprised at all by the enthusiasm of the CFA staff, the fun that we had, or the great food. I was surprised, however, when I left feeling completely inspired in my approach to life and ministry. Let me tell you, if I loved CFA before, I really love them now.
Dan Cathy, President of CFA, was on hand to speak and to give us a little bit of the history and vision of the company. Mr. Cathy spoke about his father, CFA found S. Truett Cathy, and how he had started this business with such selfless motives: a desire to serve, and a love of good food. He really got my attention, though, when he pulled a well-worn copy of the New Testament from his pocket, and began to speak about how the company has made the Word of God their basis for exemplary service.
The CFA corporation has recently adapted a service philosophy based on Matthew 5:41 called 2M2N. The verse is as follows:
“If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.”
From this verse, they came up with the idea of 2M2N, or, a desire to make the 2nd mile, 2nd nature when it comes to service. They don’t just want to give delicious food to customers in exchange for the purchase price. That’s first mile service. They also want to go the second mile. For them, that means things like helping moms with small kids to and from their tables, offering fresh ground pepper for salads, and offering umbrella service on rainy days. They want to go the second mile.
Can you see why I was so inspired? I want to go the second mile in my life, too! I don’t just want to do “enough.” I want to go out of my way to serve and help others. Anyone can say an obligatory “I’ll be praying for you” when someone shares their heartache. But does it automatically follow that we actually do pray for them? It’s easy to ask a sick person to call you if they need something. It’s second mile service, though, to not wait for their call, but to anticipate or assess their needs and attempt to meet them without their inquiry. The expected is the first mile, but doing the extra, unexpected things we can to help is what the second miles is all about.
Today, keep the 2M2N motto in your mind as you go about your day. Pray that God will open your eyes to ways you can go that second mile with the people in your life. It may look different for each of us, but what will be constant is that we will all find deeper purpose as we allow the Lord to take us further in our service to Him. Deeper fulfillment waits! You’ll find it on the second mile.
