How should we treat our enemies according to Proverbs 25:21–22?

Answer

According to Proverbs 25:21–22, we are encouraged to treat our enemies with kindness and generosity: “If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. By doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.” This passage reveals the paradoxical truth of the kingdom that responding to an enemy with goodness is the way to go.

Elisha the prophet demonstrated a similar act of kindness towards the Aramean army when they confronted Israel, providing food and drink to the soldiers before sending them back. Subsequently, they refrained from attacking Israel (2 Kings 6:21-23;cf: 2 Chronicles 28:15). In the Old Testament, it was even mandated that an Israelite should return his enemy’s ox or donkey if it wandered off and assist his enemy’s struggling animal (Exodus 23:4-5).

The act of heaping burning coals on someone’s head is a concept linked to retribution in the Bible (Psalm 11:6;Psalm 140:10). The notion is that through the warmth and pressure of demonstrated kindness, the individual will experience shame, remorse for their actions, and ultimately repentance. This phrase may have originated from an ancient Egyptian ritual of atonement where a guilty person had to carry a basin of burning coals on their head as a sign of repentance. The purpose of treating our enemies kindly is to lead them to acknowledge their wrongdoing and prompt them to change their ways.

In Romans 12:9–21, the apostle Paul referenced Proverbs 25:21–22 to illustrate that we can conquer evil through love and goodness. He instructed, “Bless those who persecute you. Do not curse them; pray that God will bless them” (verse 14, NLT). “NeverPay back evil with more evil” (verse 17, NLT). “Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, ‘I will take revenge; I will pay them back,’ says the LORD. Instead, ‘If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.’ Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good” (verses 19–21, NLT).

Our instinctive human reaction to being wronged is to retaliate against our enemies. Yet, such a response is prohibited to followers of Christ. Jesus taught, “Do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also” «but I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. », (Matthew 5:39). As Christians, we are to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:43-48). We conquer evil by doing what is good, and we win over our enemies by loving them and treating them with kindness and compassion.

In His great Sermon on the Mount, Jesus called His disciples to be agents of peace in this world: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven” (Matthew 5:9-12).

There are reasons why Christians should not take revenge. First and foremost, God has made it expressly clear in Scripture that it is His job to punish sin (Deuteronomy 32:35, 41; Ecclesiastes 12:14). Moreover, since God desires “all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth,” Christians are encouraged to live “peaceful and quiet” lives, avoiding hindrances to the spread of the gospel (1 Timothy 2:1-4). When we take on the responsibility of avenging ourselves and punishing our enemies, we risk impeding the gospel’s progress. Conversely, by genuinely and sacrificially loving our enemies, God will recognize and bless us.

For a Christian, the most effective approach to overcoming an enemy is to transform them into a fellow believer. Romans 2:4 teaches that God’s kindness leads people to repentance. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that our kindness towards an enemy could also contribute to their repentance. Demonstrating unexpected kindness and generosity towards our enemies can disarm and unsettle them, potentially prompting feelings of regret, repentance, and acceptance of salvation through Jesus Christ.