Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Wisdom – Proverbs 25:21-22 – Give Him – Growing As Disciples
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. Proverbs 25:21-22 (NIV)
Your Enemies
What will you do for your enemies? That’s an odd question. Why is that? I don’t want to do anything for my enemies. I don’t want to even think about my enemies. The best thing I think I could do for my enemies would be to ignore them. Why is that? If I don’t ignore my enemies, I might be tempted to do to them what they have done to me. I might want to pay them back for all the evil that they have done to me. That would not be good. Why is that?
You were once living as my enemy. You were doing what was evil in my sight. Did I try to put you out of my mind? Did I hope you would just go away? Did I ignore you? No, you did not ignore me. You would not give up on me. You sought me out. You pursued me. You were watching for the day that I would turn away from my old sinful life. You were waiting for me to turn toward you to ask you to come into my life. How did I respond to you? Did I give you what you deserved? No, thankfully you did not give me what I deserved. I deserved punishment. Did I give you what you did not deserve? Yes, you gave me what I did not deserve. What was that? I did not serve your kindness, mercy and love. I did not deserve your forgiveness and cleansing. No, you did not. Yet, I gave all of these to you. Yes, you did.
I have some questions to ask you. Go ahead, I’m listening. Do you want to do what I did? Do you want to become like me? Will you follow my example? How so? Will you do for your enemies what I have done for you? Will you forgive your enemies? Will you extend kindness, mercy and love to your enemies? Will you pray for your enemies? Will you give your enemies whatever they need? Those are tough questions. You are asking a lot of me. No, I am not asking for a lot of you. I am asking for all of you. Will you make yourself completely available to me? Will you go where I guide you? Will you do what I ask of you? Will you love your enemies just as I loved you when you were my enemy? Yes Lord, I will. I will love my enemies. I will graciously give my enemies whatever they need. That will be very good. Then, I will use your life. Then, I will bear fruit through your life. Then, you will bring glory to my name. That will be very good.
Lord, I want to shine brightly for you as a witness in the world. I want you to use my life to help lead others to you. I want to bear an abundance of fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. Use my life, to graciously give my enemies what they need. Amen
For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:
Wisdom – Proverbs 25-21-22 – Give Him – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide
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