Refined - Finding Joy in the Midst of the FireSample

Paul says to feed hungry enemies and to give a drink to enemies who are thirsty. And what would be the result of this type of disarming behavior? “For in so doing you’ll heap burning coals on his head.” At initial glance, we might be tempted to rub our hot, little hands together in glee and smugly declare, “Oh good! You gave it to me, now I’m going to give it to you!” But before you become immediately filled with vengeful glee, it’s important to understand the background of the importance of burning coals. Early every morning, before the village was awake, the servants of a home or perhaps the older children would be sent to the center of town, where a fire had been burning all night long. On top of the head of the appointed person was a tin hat that was fashioned to hold burning coals from the village fire. The servant or child could scoop up the burning coals from the central fire and then place the tin hat back on their head as they walked back to their home. These burning coals would heat the family home during the day and would provide for the fire that would cook the food and cleanse the water that the family would drink that day. The burning coals would heat the water that would be used for bathing and cleaning. The burning coals that one carried on his or her head were literally the provision for food, water, and cleanliness every day of the year. When you’re kind to someone who has been unkind, you’re providing the valuable coals that will keep the offender alive and healthy. When you forgive someone who has offended you, you are giving a gift of life and safety to that despicable, yet loved piece of humanity. When we offer “burning coals of fire” to a person who has brought only pain to our lives, we are giving to them the best kind of fire: a fire that warms, but does not destroy; a fire that feeds, but does not ravage; a fire that provides for, but does not kill. What a lovely advantage we have when we submit our lives to the call of the gospel! When our lives are guided and directed by the Bible, the fires that are set by our lives will never destroy, but will always edify.