January 27th, 2023

Day 27
Romans 12:20
20 Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.
This last text of the week actually goes further than the previous texts. Rather than just taking care of the less fortunate than us, it is actually telling us that we need to take care of our enemies. If they are in need, we should help them. And in this way, we actually confuse and befuddle them.
It is almost comical where this goes. But remember, it is coming right after a place where Paul quotes Deuteronomy 32:25 where we remember that vengeance is God’s and it is not to be ours. So if vengeance is up to God, then our job, it seems, is to be the kind of people that actually confuse their enemies with a deep sense of kindness.
I used to do this when I was playing basketball. If someone would foul me when I was shooting, I would go to shake their hand. It was confusing to them. Not everyone would shake my hand. But many would, and then sort of wander off, wondering what just happened. Or when they would foul me I would shout, “good job!” and they would say “thanks” and then walk away confused.
Why would we want to pour burning coals of shame on their heads?
Have you ever heard the phrase “kill ‘em with kindness?” This is sort of the same idea. As well, it incorporates the fact that we are to take care of those around us if we can, even if they are our enemies.
20 Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.
This last text of the week actually goes further than the previous texts. Rather than just taking care of the less fortunate than us, it is actually telling us that we need to take care of our enemies. If they are in need, we should help them. And in this way, we actually confuse and befuddle them.
It is almost comical where this goes. But remember, it is coming right after a place where Paul quotes Deuteronomy 32:25 where we remember that vengeance is God’s and it is not to be ours. So if vengeance is up to God, then our job, it seems, is to be the kind of people that actually confuse their enemies with a deep sense of kindness.
I used to do this when I was playing basketball. If someone would foul me when I was shooting, I would go to shake their hand. It was confusing to them. Not everyone would shake my hand. But many would, and then sort of wander off, wondering what just happened. Or when they would foul me I would shout, “good job!” and they would say “thanks” and then walk away confused.
Why would we want to pour burning coals of shame on their heads?
Have you ever heard the phrase “kill ‘em with kindness?” This is sort of the same idea. As well, it incorporates the fact that we are to take care of those around us if we can, even if they are our enemies.
- Have you ever been kind to an enemy?
- What did that look like?
- How can you give your revenge to God and then actually do something powerful for those who you could consider an enemy?
Recent
Archive
2023
January
Lovewell: A Theology - Day 1Lovewell: A Theology - Day 2Lovewell: A Theology - Day 3Lovewell: A Theology - Day 4Lovewell: A Theology - Day 5Lovewell: A Theology - Day 6Lovewell: A Theology - Day 7Lovewell: A Theology - Day 8Lovewell: A Theology - Day 9Lovewell: A Theology - Day 10Lovewell: A Theology - Day 11Lovewell: A Theology - Day 12Lovewell: A Theology - Day 13Lovewell: A Theology - Day 14Lovewell: A Theology - Day 15Lovewell: A Theology - Day 16Lovewell: A Theology - Day 17Lovewell: A Theology - Day 18Lovewell: A Theology - Day 19Lovewell: A Theology - Day 20Lovewell: A Theology - Day 21Lovewell: A Theology - Day 22Lovewell: A Theology - Day 24Lovewell: A Theology - Day 23Lovewell: A Theology - Day 25Lovewell: A Theology - Day 26Lovewell: A Theology - Day 27Lovewell: A Theology - Day 28Lovewell: A Theology - Day 29Lovewell: A Theology - Day 30Lovewell: A Theology - Day 31
February
Lovewell: A Theology - Day 32Lovewell: A Theology - Day 33Lovewell: A Theology - Day 34Lovewell: A Theology - Day 35Season 1 - IntroductionUncomfortable (S1) - Day 1Uncomfortable (S1) - Day 2Uncomfortable (S1) - Day 3Uncomfortable (S1) - Day 4Uncomfortable (S1) - Day 5Uncomfortable (S1) - Day 6Uncomfortable (S1) - Day 7Uncomfortable (S1) - Day 8Uncomfortable (S1) - Day 9Uncomfortable (S1) - Day 10Uncomfortable (S1) - Day 11Uncomfortable (S1) - Day 12Uncomfortable (S1) - Day 13Uncomfortable (S1) - Day 14Uncomfortable (S1) - Day 15Uncomfortable (S1) - Day 16Uncomfortable (S1) - Day 17
March
Uncomfortable (S1) - Day 18Uncomfortable (S1) - Day 19Uncomfortable (S1) - Day 20Uncomfortable (S1) - Day 21Uncomfortable (S1) - Day 22Uncomfortable (S1) - Day 23Uncomfortable (S1) - Day 24Uncomfortable (S1) - Day 25Uncomfortable (S1) - Day 26Uncomfortable (S1) - Day 27Uncomfortable (S1) - Day 28Uncomfortable (S1) - Day 29Uncomfortable (S1) - Day 30Uncomfortable (S1) - Day 31Uncomfortable (S1) - Day 32Uncomfortable (S1) - Day 33Uncomfortable (S1) - Day 34Uncomfortable (S1) - Day 35Campus WeekAfter - Day 1After - Day 2After - Day 3After - Day 4After - Day 5After - Day 6
April
After - Day 7After - Day 8After - Day 9After - Day 10After - Day 11After - Day 12After - Day 13After - Day 14After - Day 15After - Day 16After - Day 17After - Day 18After - Day 19After - Day 20After - Day 21After - Day 22After - Day 23After - Day 24After - Day 25After - Day 26After - Day 27After - Day 28
Categories
Tags
1 Corinthians
1 John
1 Peter
1 Samuel
2 John
3 John
Acts
Belonging
Campus Week
Certainty
Church
Clarity
Colossians
Community
Compassion
Connect Group
Crosswalk
Daily Study
Dave Ferguson
Deconstruction
Easter Week
Easter
Ecclesiastes
End of Series
End of the Week
Faith
Galatians
Galations
Gathering
Genesis
Group Study
Hebrews
Holy Wednesday
Hosea
Isaiah
James
Jeremiah
Job
John
Jonah
Joshua
Light
Lovewell: A Theology
Lovewell
Love
Luke
Mark
Matthew
Mike Rhynus
Paddy McCoy
Philippians
Proverbs
Psalms
Revelation
Romans
Sabbath
Service
Small Group Guide
Small Group Study
Small Group
The Little Letters
Timothy Gillespie
Uncomfortable
William Johnsson
Witness
Zechariah
choices
patience
rules
small group guides
No Comments