THE INTERMITTENT WORD … 10 July, 2014

Has someone hurt your feelings? Hurt your hope? Hurt your dreams?

It happens to us all. As Wesley said in The Princess Bride, “Life is pain.” Ask Jesus. He knows. That’s why He’s got scars in His hands and feet. So the real question isn’t how to escape pain, but how to deal with it. And that’s where God can help you today. He has the perfect plan to deal with your hurt, and if you’re ready to listen, He’s ready to blow your mind.

The Bible says, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” (Rom 12:20) This isn’t a fun little verse for those among us with passive-aggressive tendencies. It’s more than that. The act of wearing a bowl of coals on your head (on top of a suitable wad of insulation) was a first century way of saying publicly, “I’m sorry,” sort of like holding a press conference to apologize. The aim of this verse isn’t to scorch someone’s scalp, it’s to inspire repentance. How? By loving them. By tangibly and specifically blessing them. Once upon a time, I had a supervisor who hated my guts. He made my life miserable because he knew I was a Christian, and he didn’t like Christians. What could I do? Well, after reading this verse, I decided to do things God’s way. So I bought him a couple of gifts and left them on his desk with a card. My gifts were intelligent – he loved his dogs and so I gave him stuff for his dogs. It blew his mind. He did not know what to do with me. It surprised me, too, because I didn’t know what to expect. Two years later, when his wife left him, guess where he went for help and counsel? Yep. Trippy, huh? But that’s how the kingdom of God works. So maybe there’s an enemy you could bless? Maybe you’re thinking of someone right now. Well … I dare you. Do it. You won’t be sorry. And I’ll see you on Sunday. Be true!

Read more by Pastor Greg Daulton, Lead Pastor of Mount Rainier Christian Center here: