"If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
As I read thru verses 20 and 21 of Romans 12 I ask myself the question, "Who would I consider my enemy?" It’s a great thing to consider. Maybe it’s a neighbor whose dog barks at all hours of the night. Possibly a co-worker has continually slighted you at work and maybe even taken credit for your hard work or thrown you under the bus for something they did or didn’t do and placed the blame on you. If you really think about it maybe you might say it’s the Islamic extremists or the unstable individuals that threaten our health and safety.
If we can identify our "enemies,"Paul quoting wise king Solomon tells us to love on them. So, the best question to contemplate this morning is this: "How can I love those that I have identified as my enemies?" One of the ways to love on them is to look and see what they need. Are they “hungry” or "thirsty?" How can you respond to evil in a loving way?
I love the way that Paul sees as the only way to combat evil, and he would know for previously he had been the violent Christian killer. Jesus had taught him that the only way to overcome evil is with good.
So, today don’t react in a worldly way of meting out an eye for eye, but instead as Jesus commanded us all in Luke 6:31 “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” If you want to explore this further read Luke 6.
-Sheldon Jefferson, Junior High Pastor
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