Burning Coals

For Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Proverbs 25:21-22

If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat,
and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,
for you will heap burning coals on his head,
and the Lord will reward you.

Here is the Apostle Paul's application:

"Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them... Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.' To the contrary, 'if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

Our goal in all circumstances is to glorify God. When we are ill-treated, our thought should be to glorify God. How do we do so? We bless those who treat us ill. We pray for them. We do good deeds for them.

Our good deeds are likely to have a positive impact, causing our "enemy" to repent of his bad behavior and change his ways toward us. He will feel our good deeds as burning coals of shame. "But what if he does not change?" That is the Lord's concern. He is the judge of hearts and the changer of hearts. He will see that justice is carried out, whether or not he allows us to see how that justice is played out.

We flock to Rambo style movies where the "good" hero gets vengeance through violence. Our model for "vengeance" is to overcome evil with good. As Jesus said, "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 5:43-45).

Jesus, not Rambo, is our model thank goodness. For he overcame our evil with his good. His "burning coals" on our head changed our hearts. And we who were his enemies because his brothers and sisters.