Proverbial Post 9; Prov. 24-27

May the mumbling commence!

How are we to treat our enemies?  How are we to treat those who attempt to make our lives miserable?  These questions are relevant at the personal, communal, and national levels.  What does the book of Proverbs speak about this subject?  Read some verses below:

            Do not gloat when your enemy falls;

                        when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice,

            or the Lord will see and disapprove

                        and turn his wrath away from him. (Prov. 24:17-18)

                                                                                                                                         

Note: We are not supposed to gloat over the failure of our enemies.  It is not that we wish that they would be excused from the punishment that their sins deserve.  We are human.  Jesus was both human and God in nature.  Jesus wanted his enemies to be free of their punishment.  It is a good thing to strive for, but it is not the message of Proverbs.  Read another quote:

            Do not say, “I’ll do to him as he has done to me;

                        I’ll pay him back for what he did.” (Prov. 24:29)

So much for the thought, “Don’t get mad get even.”  Much in our society pushes this thought on us.  This thought is foreign to Proverbs.  Do not return evil for evil.  Read another quote:

            If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;

                        if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.

            In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head,

                        and the Lord will reward you.  (Prov. 25:21-22)

Confound and confuse the enemy.  Do not speak in the only language that he can understand.  Serve him.  Give him food to eat when he is hungry.  Give him water to eat when he is thirsty.  Sustain your enemy – but not for a nicety.  Sustain him so that burning coals will be on his head.  The Lord’s reward will be in this tact for you (and possibly your enemy).  There is no way of defeating an enemy than making him a friend and ally.  But before we get to far into this train of thought, let’s look at another quote from Proverbs:

            Wounds from a friend can be trusted,

                        but an enemy multiplies his kisses. (27:6)

The wisdom of Proverbs asks us to serve our enemies, but it doesn’t ask us to trust them – even when it seems we have transformed  them into friends.  The wisdom of Proverbs tells us not to gloat over our enemies fall – but not at the expense of justice.  The wisdom of Proverbs tells us not to return evil for evil.  The wisdom of Proverbs tells us to feed and give drink to our enemies – not for a nicety but for heaping burning coals on his head.

Let’s keep these concepts and attitudes in our hearts and minds as we relate to those who make our lives miserable.  If we do, there will be a reward from the Lord.

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out