May 11 - Wisdom With Our Enemies.

Proverbs 25:21-22
“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.”
 
Kindness softens the heart of an enemy.
Solomon describes some practical every day things we can choose to do for our enemies rather than what our flesh desires.
 
Jesus Christ gave us specific instructions of how to deal with our enemies.
 
Matthew 5:43-44
“Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 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;”
 
Love instead of hate.
Bless instead of curse.
Do good unto them.
Pray for them.
How well do we do these things?
 
Romans 12:18-20
“If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 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.”
 
It is not our responsibility to try to avenge ourselves, even though our flesh desires the exact opposite of what Jesus preached.
 
We have to choose whether to act with our flesh or follow what Christ said is best. When we choose His way, we obey our Heavenly Father and show His love to those around us.
 
Matthew 5:45-46
“That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?”
 
There is no reward in treating even those that seem to hate us, or think evil of us, with anything but love. Christ died for them too, and He promises to reward us if we choose to live peaceably with everyone.
 
Romans 12:21
“Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”
 
 
Bible Reading:
1 Samuel 23-24  |  Romans 14  |  Proverbs 11