Daily Devotional For Sunday, April 26, 2026
Good morning Southside. Hope you are having a blessed day. Today, our devotional comes from Proverbs 25:21-22:
“If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them water to drink. (22) You will heap burning coals of shame on their heads, and the Lord will reward you” (NLT).
Sometimes you read Scripture and wonder, “What in the world does this mean?” I understand, believe me I do. It is apparent the text is emphasizing how as disciple makers we are to be kind to our enemies. We are to bless them. Jesus talked about this in Matthew 5:43-44, “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. (44) But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!” (NLT). Jesus doesn’t mince words here.
In our Proverb passage above, this line of “heaping burning coals of shame on their heads” is repeated in the New Testament also. It is repeated by the Apostle Paul in Romans 12:20. Old Testament scholar Grady Brady quotes Bible scholar A. W. Pink: “The law of love is not expounded more spiritually in any single precept either by Christ or his apostles than in this exhortation” (Source: Grady Brady, Heavenly Wisdom: Proverbs Simply Explained (pp. 680–681).
This phrase has confused scholars as to its origin for years. The point is we are to give our enemy a means to live and exist. The phrase is still a mystery to this day. However, Old Testament scholar Bruce K. Walke writes this:
“Some have validated the majority interpretation from an Egyptian penitential ritual. According to the narrative of Cha-em-wese, the thief Cha-em-wese returned a book of magic stolen out of a grave by carrying a basin of fiery coals on his head. Carrying the fire signified his consciousness and attitudes of shame, remorse, repentance and ultimately correction” (Source: Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15–31, (p. 331).
For a person to prove their repentance, they had to carry a container of hot coals on their head as a sign of contrition. By ministering to your enemy after they have harmed you, they will experience burning shame for their attack or harm they brought to you. There seems to be some connection to Exodus 23:4-5 here also. By being kind to one’s enemies or anyone who hurts you, there may be a change of heart on their part.
Also, there is the assurance that the Lord will reward the person who acts with such magnanimity toward an enemy. Literally the Hebrew text says, “To the one who hates you with all their heart who is hungry, give them food. If they are thirsty, give them water to drink.” This is not just an enemy such as all the enemies Israel had, but someone who hates you, attempts to harm you and is only joyful when they hurt you.
This should remind you of Proverbs 24:17 and Proverbs 20:22. The goal is reconciliation as pointed out in Proverbs 16:7. In this case, reconciliation is not dependent upon one doing works to win one’s enemies over, but of God who does the reconciling. The reward is twofold: reconciliation between you and that person and God rewarding you for your obedience to Him.
The Hebrew word translated as “hungry” above is the Hebrew word [רָעֵב, ra’ev] and it means “starving, not having enough food to sustain life.” The word translated as “thirsty” is the Hebrew word [צָ֝מֵ֗א, tzame]. This word refers to one whose mouth is so dry from thirst, that their own saliva evaporates before it can wet and moisten their mouth.
The fact that the reference uses water and not wine, suggests that when it comes to someone who hates you and harms you, go out of your way to meet their basic needs. This reminds us of Proverbs 25:25. Some have taken “heaping hot coals on your enemies’ head” as an act of revenge, but the Book of Proverbs refutes that over and over (see Pr. 17:13; Pr. 20:22; and Pr. 24:17-18. We see this idea of seeking revenge refuted in Romans 12:17-21.
Therefore, the “burning coals of fire” refer to the burning pains of shame which a person will feel when good is returned for evil, his shame producing remorse and contrition. People who hate us do not expect us to be generous with our forgiveness, kindness or a determined mindset not to get even or revenge. Because we have a desire for justice, we are prone to take the issue of settling justice into our own hands. The problem with that is we assume the role of God. Since vengeance is His to settle, we are best to leave for God to do it. Why? He will personalize in a far more painful way than we ever could.
Reflection Assignment: When someone harms you, what is your first reaction and attitude? What do you think would happen if you did what this Proverb instructs? Why? Are you willing to do what this Proverb instructs? Why or why not? What does this Proverb say about your own character and relationship to the Lord?
Scripture To Meditate On: Colossians 3:13, “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (NLT).
Prayer To Pray: “Lord, help me to live this out completely out of love and obedience to You. Convict me prior to me taking matters into my own heart and hands. Lord, I promise that from now on I will leave getting even in my heart, all to You. I love You Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”
I love you Southside! – Pastor Kelly