Kindness in Jesus' Name

Romans 12:14-21

Oh, I so want to live up to the words in this passage!  I want to bless those who persecute me.  I want to live in harmony with others.  I don't want to be conceited.  I want to live at peace with everyone.  I don't want to take revenge.  I want to feed my hungry enemy.  I want to overcome evil with good.

Notice how each of those sentences begins: with the word I. Me, me, me. I want to be a better person. And on my own power, I fail miserably. Every single time.

Instead of loving those who persecute me, I want to get even.  I want to live in harmony on my terms, not on theirs.  I want others to see how smart and confident I am.  And I don't want to feed my hungry enemy - not really.  In my heart of hearts, I want to say to my enemy, 'tough luck.'

So.....what is to be done with me?  Maybe I can start small.  When we pass the peace at church, it's such a simple thing. But what if the next time we shake hands with our neighbors in the pew, we take a few moments to truly pass God's peace. Because on our own, we are simply not going to make this happen.

I can't end this devotion without looking at verse 20:

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.

Paul is quoting from Proverbs 25:21-22.  Why on earth would you ever do this?  It sounds painful, doesn't it?  When this was written, people cooked with coal.  If the fire went out, they would have no fuel for cooking.  So instead of reluctantly handing them a few coals, the Christian should extravagantly 'heap coals on their head.'  Don't just feed your enemy - feed them abundantly.

How could you practice extravagantly blessing an enemy this week? Or simply practicing kindness no matter what the response was from a coworker, even one you don't particularly like? Or - and this is the hardest ever - how about a family member? One who is hard to love?

Practice small acts of kindness in Jesus' name. I'll be right there with you.