Gold Nugget
Verse 21-22: "21If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; 22 For so you will heap coals of fire on his head, And the Lord will reward you."
Commentary
You've heard the old cliché', "It takes two to tango." You've also heard "A soft answer turns away wrath" (Proverbs 15:1) Knowing how to deal with difficult people is a fine art. Trying to find the appropriate place between taking opposition with a person and not condoning bad behavior by keeping silent, requires wisdom. Proverbs teaches us to keep our mouths shut and also teaches us to correct and rebuke. Confrontational people may find it easy to rebuke someone without offering words of encouragement. The key to knowing when to rebuke, when to encourage or when to keep silent requires wisdom and love. When you are at a crossroad between keeping silent or being confrontational, love should be the deciding factor.
If you love someone, you will confront them about sin in their life. We should rejoice to see them turn from their wrath against us just as much as we were sad to see them oppose us. Keeping this in mind, should help us to practice this verse 21 If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; 22 For so you will heap coals of fire on his head, And the Lord will reward you. Now as far as the coals on their heads. These are purifying coals - not us inflicting pain on them. If we love them while they are hating us, it is possible that our love can have a purifying effect on the whole situation, including their attitude.
Prayer
Lord, today I may come in contact with those that wish me harm. I purpose from this day forward to give your words a chance by applying the truth learned in this passage. Today, I will feed and cloth my enemy. I may not see the reward today, but I am willing to sow this seed persistently and reap the harvest in due time. Amen
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Good word! Only by praying without ceasing and truly coveting an enemy's soul for salvation can this be accomplished. We must truly let Christ live through us and not react and "feel" in the flesh. Unfortunately it seems to feel better to throw a book rather than a loving act. May God help us!
ReplyDeleteperfect for today :) makes me feel better and more calm about the situations going on. yup much more calm!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouragement. Keep up the faith!
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