Heaping Coals of Fire

I am a very competitive person, and I like to win! Winners get a prize, a reward, or a trophy. Paul writes, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head” (Romans 12:19, 20, KJV).

I read this text and decided I would do just that.

A coworker had been very mean and said some unkind things to and about me. I went on vacation and returned with a gift for her—a souvenir from my travels. She was so caught off guard, she started to sweat, turned red, and had absolutely nothing to say! I would say she was feeling those coals of fire on her head. Soon after that experience, I read, “If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: for thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee” (Proverbs 25:21, 22, KJV).

I thought, All right! Why was this promise mentioned twice in the Bible? When I do this, the Lord Himself will reward me! I will get a prize! The competitive side of me got excited. Now I need to find another enemy, heap on coals of fire, and collect my reward! Why can’t I find an enemy? Where is an enemy when you need one? The words of Jesus rang loudly: “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44, KJV).

While I concluded that heaping coals of fire brings a reward, perhaps I should rather be seeking the ultimate reward. Sometimes we get caught up in this life, chasing things out of our reach. We need to take a breath and refocus. The writer of Hebrews points us to Abraham, who “was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10, NIV). If we want to win the most important reward of all, we should remember this promise: “Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds” (Revelation 22:12, NLT). In Christ, we are all winners.

Amen!

Sylvia A. Franklin