How to love my enemies

July 29, 2009 (delayed post, no Internet available in Old Deer, Scotland)

Most would say it does not work . . . . “Love my enemies? You must be joking.” If love were only an emotion, their protests are easily understood. Who can conjure up feelings of well-being for someone who has injured you? But love, biblical love, is not feelings, but an action. Here is how it works . . .

Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:19-21)

The first action is refusing to act in revenge. No retaliation. Instead, this is a place to exercise faith. Do I believe that God is the ultimate judge? Do I believe that the Judge of the earth will do right? If so, why retaliate? That would be interfering with what God would otherwise do! He knows the best way to deal with my sin. Who am I to deny Him the opportunity to best deal with those who sin against me?

The second action is actually doing something to meet the needs of the person who has injured me. It might be as simple as a meal or something to drink. It could be more complex, and certainly will be under a sense of reluctance. However, it is not difficult. Even a dog can do it. Smack a dog in anger because it gets in your way, and it will come and lick your hand.

Doing good to an enemy produces this “coals of fire” thing. Some think this means that my goodness will produce a sense of shame in their lives. My devotional guide backs this by saying this expression refers to an ancient Egyptian custom where a person who wanted to show public contrition would carry on his head a pan of burning coals to symbolize the burning pain of his shame and guilt.

Thinking a bit beyond that, I know that if I show love to my enemies by meeting their needs, it cannot be for any hope that they will feel shame for the way they treated me. Love does good to others but love is not using “kindness” as a weapon.

In the Old Testament “coals of fire” are not about using kindness to shame someone. Instead, this term speaks of the wrath of God. In other words, if I do good to my enemy and refuse to take any revenge or retaliate, then I am yielding to God and stepping back so that He is free to exercise His wrath in whatever way He wishes. Then doing good gets out of the way or “gives place” to His wrath.

This is entirely practical. If I respond to evil with evil (retaliation), then God must deal with my sinful God-playing. As far as my life goes, He is more concerned that I behave like Jesus Christ than He is about what my enemy has done to me. But if I obey these verses and do good to my enemy, then I have “given place to wrath” or stepped out from being His primary focus for chastening. He will then give attention to whatever my enemy has done and do what He sees best concerning them.

For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously. (1 Peter 2:21-23)

As Jesus did, when someone attacks me, I can trust God for the revenge part by committing myself to the One who judges righteously and by doing good to my enemy. This is His way of overcoming evil with good.