Condemning Kindness?
9 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.” 20 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.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Reflections
In the verses from last week and this week, Paul pivots from internal church dynamics to the much harder task of dealing with those with whom we have conflict and those who may have wronged us. He shifts the focus from “getting even” to a radical type of kindness that “heaps burning coals” on the head of the enemy. After meditating on these verses, reflect on these questions.
- Is there a grudge I am currently carrying because I don’t truly trust God to be a just judge?
- If I genuinely believed that God saw the hurt and would handle the repayment perfectly, how much mental and emotional energy would I reclaim today by officially resigning as the judge in that situation?
Paul suggests that the most effective weapon against an enemy is an unexpected act of service that shames their hostility.
Is there someone in my life whose seasonal coldness or aggression toward me could be disarmed by a specific, practical act of kindness?
