Romans 12:19-21 “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.”

Even people who do not know Jesus as their Lord have heard from their youth that “two wrongs do not make a right”. Many unbelievers quote this, not realizing it is scriptural to children to teach the uselessness of retaliation. Evil will never overcome evil. Evil can only be overcome with good. We have been told that we are to love and pray for our enemies, but love is only a word if it is not supported with actions. While God doesn’t tell us that we have to be ‘friends’ with our enemies, he expects us to treat them no differently then we would anyone in need – providing food if hungry, drink if thirsty, and a cloak if cold. Some believers might be tempted to enjoy the idea of heaping burning coals on a persons head because it sounds rather painful, but in fact it simply refers to an old proverb which means that through your acts of kindness, their consciences might be pricked and they might realize the wrong they have done you! If it were easy to forgive and show love to our enemies, God would receive no glory from it. We glorify God when we love beyond words as his Son did.

Pray: Dear Father, when I was still without you, I needed someone to reach out to me in love. I needed to know someone loved me even when I was feeling ‘unlovable.’ When I find myself facing an enemy and see an opportunity to bless and not injure, remind me of when I was an ‘enemy’ to those around me. Let me see them through you eyes. I can do this, Father, but only through your strength and with your help. May you receive the glory for it all, in my brother’s powerful name I ask – Amen.