Enemies

Proverbs 25:21-22 says "If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty give him water to drink, for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.". Jesus goes on to elaborate on this subject in Matthew 5:43-48.

I think as we celebrate this advent season and the arrival of Emmanuel, as well as throughout the rest of the year, this verse is so very relevant to those of us who are committed to following Christ. For most of us this time of year inspires feelings of sharing and generosity and putting our best foot forward. We are boldly wearing our faith and that means that people are watching us and waiting for us to crack so they can have a reason to call us a hypocrite or a Pharisee, so we work hard to not let them have that pleasure. We even go out of our way to help the homeless or the underprivileged around us. But how often do you consider your enemies?

First lets consider, who is your enemy? Strong's defines enemy as it is used in this verse as from the Hebrew word pronounced "saw-nay'; to hate (personally): enemy, foe, hate". Those are some pretty strong words, but then again so is the word enemy. When Christ expressed this same idea in Matthew 5, the word he used for enemy was from the Greek word pronounced ekh-thros' which refers to an adversary. Well I can think of plenty of people that fall into that category without even leaving my street, much less my city, state or country. When we think of an adversary that is simply put an opponent.

What is an opponent? Well that's easy, it is someone who opposes you in something. If you are a Christian and you don't have anybody opposing you then you must either never leave your house or you live in a perfect world that the rest of us have not yet discovered. So, that being said, what happens when your co-workers think your too extreme? What about when a family member tramples your spirit? What about the clerk at the grocery store that goes out of their way to remind you that they don't agree with your viewpoint? Is your first response to lash out at them and pray for God to do that cool smiting trick He pulled on Sodom and Gomorrah?

It's in these times that we have to remember these verses and the instructions the writer in Proverbs and Jesus give us. The reason I think this time of years is such an excellent time to put these verses into action is because we're already in a spirit of giving and loving our fellow man, and others regardless of their worldview, love getting gifts, especially at this time of year. So today, and throughout the year, look for ways to bless those "enemies" you encounter everyday, bake them some cookies, look for a need and meet it, pray for them or with them. At the very least you might brighten their day, and you can know that you are honoring God by your actions toward them.

Consider this as you think about these things, if someone is an enemy, an opponent of yours, and you are simply following the Spirits lead in your life or in a particular matter then one of two things is probably true in that persons life; they are being convicted in that area and you are calling them out, or there is a past hurt or pain associated with the matter. They are not truly and enemy of you, but rather of the One that you have laid your life down to allow to live in you and through you.

Until next time,
Blessed to be a Blessing,
Marshall