Do you have an enemy? Do you have someone you recently had a disagreement with and you feel bad? Does someone hate you?
Read Romans 12: 9-21
In the Romans passage of scripture, Paul exhorts believers to prove love, humility, and to overcome evil with good. I am sad to say but I have an enemy in my life, someone who truly hates me. It wasn’t always this way, we were friends, perhaps a friendship that should not have been because, in the end, it was ugly. Do you have a similar story? Perhaps a childhood friend that you rekindled your friendship with and then jealousy entered the relationship. Perhaps a family member that you do not see eye to eye and strife has entered the relationship causing a hardship for other family members. Perhaps like me, your life threatened and you have no recourse but to not see that person again.
Reading Romans 12: 9-13 Paul instructs us to love without hypocrisy. How do you show brotherly love to others? Sometimes it is easy, buy a cup of coffee for a peer. Listen when someone is sharing about the hardships in their lives. Reach out and pay a bill for someone who is making less money than you. Does your church have a benevolent fund? Do you give money to this fund?
Romans 12: 14-16 Paul encourages care and compassion while demonstrating humility. How are we to respond to a person or people who hate us? Today as Christians, we witness more hate from people for our political view or our worldview. It is hard to take a stand without being attacked for your stance.
We are not to hate but to love. Jesus demonstrated loving his enemies in that he did not retaliate. He says in Luke 6:27-29, “But to those of you who will listen, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone takes your cloak, do not withhold your tunic as well.” Beloved, have you turned and offered the other cheek. Most of us do not pursue a relationship once anger has entered into a relationship. Sometimes, you are willing to reconcile but the other person is not. However, we are to try to not return hurt for hurt. Beloved, hurting people hurt people. Forgiveness is always the best avenue to resolve hurt and anger. Lastly, when we do serve God we need to exercise humility. If we are more fortunate than someone else, we should never use our place to help as a way to disgrace our friend. Dr. Neil Anderson states that humility is confidence properly placed. If reconciliation is not possible as in my case, forgive the actions of the other person and then pray for the person. Thereby placing them in the hands of God.
Lastly in Romans 12: 17-21 Paul exhorts us to overcome evil with good. We are to abhor evil. Walk away from the evil. Recognize who is the source of the evil. James 4:7-8, we are to submit to God, resist the devil. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
The three ways to heap burning coals on your enemy are to pray for your enemy, do not defame the person, and if God brings reconciliation keep pride out of the relationship and reconcile if that is possible. One might say it would be a cold day before I reconcile and yet Paul shares we can do this not in our strength but by the grace of God. Philippians 4:13 encourages that we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength. Perhaps, a friend’s success has brought ill ease in your life, an envy has developed, will you pray for your friend and let her/him know that you support their career as a writer, blogger, or a co-worker. God can and will transform your thinking as you give him your thoughts. God’s desire is for all things to work for good for us who are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).
Father God, Jesus’ pattern is different from the “pattern of this world’. It is normal for people to seek revenge but your word says “Vengence is mine.” Let me be a crusader for right and to abhor evil. Let me pursue what is right, good, and honorable. If there is one reading this that is hurting because hurt people hurt, allow her to find perfect peace from you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Do not say, ‘I’ll pay you back for this wrong!’ Wait for the Lord and he will avenge you.” Proverbs 20:22
How do you respond to someone who is angry?
If ‘Vengence is God’s’, are you willing to wait in your situation?
Lastly, the Lord leads the humble, are you walking in humility (Proverbs 25:9)?
My grandmother used to quote heaping coals of fire on the head of a person when I did not get along with my dad’s second wife. I was too young to appreciate this teaching until I was older. However, as I applied kindness and love to the situation, I was the one who changed and ended up really appreciating my stepmother. Who can you heap coals of fire on?
