- 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. Proverbs 25:21-22 – Such verses are likely familiar ones to you for we see them referenced in Matthew 5 and Romans 12 by Jesus and Paul. Whether it was King Solomon, the Apostle Paul, or our Lord Jesus Christ saying it, we must handle our enemy differently than the world tells us to. This mean not celebrating when a person at work that annoys you gets ripped into by the boss. This means not enjoying the sight of the person you can’t stand “getting what’s coming to them.” This mean offering food and water if that’s what will help them. It also can mean giving a helping hand up or a listening ear in their times of trouble. Yes, this is so countercultural to do, but isn’t most everything of Jesus countercultural? What we will see is that our “enemies” won’t know how to handle such kindness being shown to them by you. David Guzik said it wonderfully, “We can destroy an enemy by making them our friend.” Think about that, you can exist today without any human enemies, at least from your point of view, by posturing ourselves in a way that we will treat all people with love, forgiveness, and kindness, just like we would a friend. No, they may still hate you and consider you an enemy, but we don’t have to mirror that back in return. Show love and show kindness even to the ones who have hurt you and allow God to use that obedience to Him to reshape your enemy’s heart. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2933
- Whoever sings songs to a heavy heart is like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, and like vinegar on soda. Proverbs 25:20 – This passage might be exactly what you have been needing a reminder of. Often when we have someone in our life with a “heavy heart” meaning someone discouraged, grieving, or even depressed, we try so hard to figure our what to say to make things better. We search for the right words and the right things to do yet often we come up short and those things don’t end up having the results you wanted. So what can we do to help? Sometimes just being present with someone who has a heavy heart is what they need. No “singing songs” like the passage says, not trying to say the right phrase, just being there even silently with them can go along ways. Let them know you are there for them and with them and so is Jesus. Never underestimate the impact of just sitting with someone through something can have. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 696
- Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest is a faithful messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the soul of his masters. Proverbs 25:13 – Do we refresh the soul of our Master who has sent us? We’ve been given a message and have been sent out to faithfully carry the message of God’s love to everyone. As I sit here in a hotel breakfast area writing this, seeing people here from all around that most likely I’ll never get a chance to see or speak to again, am I faithfully carrying the message here? They see me here with my Bible open studying it and praying, but am I open to speaking about it with them if the opportunity came? I suppose my point for today is be faithfully carrying the message at all times. With people you know and around people you don’t. Be a refreshing servant to God our loving master because we are faithfully carrying the message to those He has sent us to. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1707
Daily DEVO 