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JULY 1, 2011
UNEXPECTED HELP
If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals
on his head, and the LORD will reward you. (Proverbs 25:21-22, NIV)
I’d just played my first round with the man, and his putting was painful to watch. He missed everything left. So
when he did it once more to close the round, I walked up to him and literally pushed him forward to encourage a more upright position. I admit, it was a bit much, even though we had had an enjoyable day
together. But the next morning, he showed up and asked, “Like this?” He had taken the instruction well, even thanking me for waiting until after the round to make my point. Now he was ready
to go make some putts.
We might say that because we carried similar handicap indexes, this man was a golfing “enemy” of mine,
someone I wanted to beat. But he was in need of help. I gave it to him, he took it, and we had a second great day together—this time with him beating me!
Solomon’s instruction about how we should treat our enemies, echoed by Paul in Romans 12, suggests a fascinating
blend for engaging our enemies. We use a generous approach to reach a powerful result.
First, we find our enemy’s point of need and meet it. This is certainly in keeping with Jesus’ teaching
that we love our enemies, even going “the extra mile” for them (a literal distance in Jesus’ day). Feed him, clothe him, mow his lawn, pay his rent. If you want to break down an
enemy’s defenses, care for him!
But what of that odd follow-up notion—”in doing this, you will heap burning coals on his
head”? Doesn’t that suggest a sort of gotcha purpose behind this generosity? It would if we ignored the context. When we
acknowledge the underlying love intended in this passage, we are led to one of two other interpretations: (a) that we stoke the fires of repentance when we love an enemy, or (b) that we provide for
the warming of an enemy’s spirit. Both ideas spring from the ancient cultural context of supplying a neighbor whose fire has gone out with hot coals from your own to get his going again.
So the message is constant throughout. Love your enemy. Do it with care.
--
Jeff Hopper
July 1, 2011
Copyright © 2011 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.
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