ROMANS 12:20

“‘BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM; IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.’”

Doing good to others is easy when it’s someone you love or like. Right? When your friends or family have a need or maybe just a want that you can meet, it feels good to do them good. But when it’s someone who does not like you and may have done you harm, the last thing you want to do is anything good for them. We’re going to see God’s response to that in today’s verse.

Remember, Paul has been talking about how to treat others for the last several verses (vs 9ff). Yesterday we saw that vengeance belongs to the Lord. He will handle any punishments for our enemies in His time. So, today’s verse just builds on that. Instead of seeking vengeance we are to do good to those who are our enemies. Paul says to “feed him” and “give him a drink.” Paul is quoting Proverbs 25:21-22 which says, “21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; 22 For you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.” Let’s look closer at these “burning coals.”

APPLICATION

Have you ever been burned by an ember from a fire? I have. It hurts! Fire burns and usually leaves a mark. When I was in the fourth grade (I think), we were roasting marshmallows over coals in our fireplace. Well, I used to let mine catch on fire, pull them out and blow them off. This one time I snatched it up too fast and the marshmallow stuck to my nose. Talk about painful! I looked like Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer for a while.

Albert Barnes explains what Paul is saying pretty well. “Burning coals heaped on a man’s head would be expressive of intense agony. So, the apostle says that the ‘effect’ of doing good to an enemy would be to produce pain. But the pain will result from shame, remorse of conscience, a conviction of the evil of his conduct, and an apprehension of divine displeasure that may lead to repentance.” Doing good to an enemy makes them feel uncomfortable and hopefully turns their heart toward God.

We have a great picture of this in 2 Kings 6.8-23. This is the story of when the king of Aram tried to capture Elisha the prophet. Remember the story? They surrounded the city where Elisha was, but God showed his servant the army of God that was there. The end result was the enemy army was stricken blind and led to the King of Israel in Samaria. Of course, the king of Israel thought they should kill them. But what did Elisha say? Give them bread and water and send them home. Great idea, Elisha! I love the end of verse 23, and I think it applies to our verse today. “And the marauding bands of Arameans did not come again into the land of Israel.” Those “burning coals” of goodness resulted in a change of heart for the Arameans toward Israel and Elisha.

To whom can you do good today? Let the pain of you doing good to someone who hates you cause the change in their hearts. God is able to do that. You are just being obedient to His Word.

Father, turn my heart toward goodness for my enemies rather than vengeance.

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