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Verse: Proverbs 25:21-22
If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; For so you will heap coals of fire on his head, And the LORD will reward you.
Thoughts
I have always struggled with these verses. I get that we should give our enemies bread and water. I understand the value in showing love and compassion to everyone. The thought of physically piling coals onto your enemies head is a little gruesome - even for the old testament.
I read somewhere that, in these times, there was a person who tended a fire all night and kept the hot coals burning. In the morning he would walk the village, carrying the hot coals in a bucket on his head, an go from home to home giving them enough coals to start the fires they needed to get their own fires burning.
So maybe the kindness of feeding and watering your enemy is the equivalent of giving them those coals. By treating him with kindness you are giving him the source of starting his own fires of kindness. The 'enemy' may then review the way he treats other people and recognise that he needs to change too.
It is also telling us that God will reward us for treating our enemies with love and kindness. He sees all we do and recognises the good that we do.
Imagine all people are God's children and your family - treat them as you would treat those you love. It is the greatest commandment after all....
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