KURTS DAILY MUSE: Coals of Kindness Someone once said, Youll never get ahead if you are always trying to even the score. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth was instituted in the Old Testament as a law of mercy. Before that law, if a man knocked out someones eye, the victims family would kill that man. So God said the punishment must fit the crime. However, Jesus taught us the power of love and forgiveness, and what it could really do to our enemies. During the days of the Berlin Wall, some of the East Berliners decided they were going to send their West Berlin adversaries a little gift. They loaded a dump truck with garbage, broken bricks, stones, building materials, and anything else with no value. They drove the truck across the border, gained clearance, and dumped it on the West Berlin side. The West Berliners were incensed, and decided to get even with them. However, a very wise man intervened and suggested they do something entirely unexpected. As a result, they responded and loaded a dump truck with food (which was scarce in East Berlin), clothing, medical supplies (extremely scarce), and a host of other essential items. They took the truck across the border, carefully unloaded it all, and left a neat sign that read, Each gives according to his ability to give. The Bible says when we repay evil with kindness, it will be like heaping burning coals of fire upon his head(Rom. 12:20). That is not a negative term. Before we could flick our Bics, people would have to borrow a few coals from their neighbors after being gone from home for awhile. They would use large pans or buckets, place them on their heads, and carry the burning coals to rekindle their home fires. It was extremely generous to heap many coals into the bucket for them. By the Way: Are you still trying to even the score, or are you winning extra points by demonstrating the love of Jesus by heaping on...coals of kindness?
Posted on: Mon, 18 Nov 2013 13:43:13 +0000
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