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Romans 12:18-21  If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.  Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.  On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.  In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

In dealing with what our attitude should be to anyone who shows enmity towards us and mistreats us openly and aggressively, Paul quotes directly from Proverbs 25:21-22.  I found Tim & Kathy Keller’s comments on those Old Testament verses in their devotional for May 5 in ‘The Way of Wisdom’ very helpful and challenging, so I will share them with you:

“Loving Your Enemy.  The final defeat of inordinate anger is not to merely refrain from payback but to positively love and do good to people who have wronged you. We are not merely to not curse but to bless.  We are not merely to refuse to repay evil with evil but to overcome evil with good.

“Why is such behaviour called ‘[heaping] burning coals on the head’?  Our opponents may find our kindness toward them to be painful, as Javert found Valjean’s forgiveness unbearable in Les Miserables.  They want confirmation that their contempt for us is justified, and kind behaviour robs them of it.  

“But our motives are never to make them uncomfortable.  Beware of being kind out of a desire to appear ‘more noble than thou.’  That isn’t love – it’s a subtle revenge.  Do good to them.  They may not want you to do it, but as far as it depends on you, you are to try.

“Is there someone whom, while you are not trying to harm them, you are simply staying away from?  How could you do good to them?

“Lord, I confess that this is one of the most radical and hard directives in your Word for me.  I congratulate myself that I am not paying them back – and now you say to do them positive good!  Lord, let me start by praying for them.  Amen.”

I can readily identify with Tim and Kathy in this prayer – can you? 

– Bruce Christian