Heaping Coals

I am sure you have been in situations where a friend, colleague, family member or even stranger hurts you – real bad. The human instinct is wanting to revenge especially when you did nothing to warrant such hurt. In my experience over the years, I have come to realize that seeking vengeance or having an unforgiving spirit is allowing the other party to live rent-free in your heart and mind.

We are about to step out of 2020 and today I write to encourage you that you let go of the hurt and forgive. This story was further engraved in my heart today upon hearing a story. A man married a woman and he knew from the beginning that this was not the person he wanted to marry. Rather than treat his wife with kindness, he was mean – I mean really mean that he even allowed her sleep in the cold outside their matrimonial home – to her. He would even mock her when her prayers seemed unanswered by God and all these and more he did out of resentment expecting resentment from his wife. That was not the case as she refused him rent-free space in her mind and designed her life so the way she loved it by loving him irrespective of his mean treatments. She prayed for him each day and continued to love him – in practical terms. You know that verse of the Bible that says show love even when others are wicked towards you and it will be as though you are heaping coals of fire on their head that was what it felt like when she loved the man while he hated on her.

He got to the point where the Holy Spirit convicted his heart and he was broken and felt so ashamed of himself that he turned a new life. He apologized not just in words but in action too and their home became a happy ever after.  This is no easy thing to do especially when you have every right to hate and have done no wrong but as we leave 2020 behind, can we all follow her example and meet love with hate? Meanness with kindness? What will it be for you? I will intentionally love and heap coals on their head than let them design the way I live. Selah.