How to Embarrass Your Enemy

Daily Devotional – Tuesday, August 8, 2023
If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
Proverbs 25:21 (NKJV)

You have plenty of enemies. Some do not hide their intentions. Others masquerade as friends, while another class works in the background, setting landmines to destroy you. Your adversary’s motive is to hurt you and prevent you from succeeding. It is, therefore, important to learn how to embarrass your enemy.

Do Good to Your Enemy

Here is a disclaimer, though. We are not talking about tit-for-tat, the so-called fair game. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth only increase the population of the blind and crippled, to paraphrase Mahatma Gandhi’s metaphorical statement. Instead of taking revenge, there is a more effective strategy for dealing with your opponent.

King Solomon, arguably the wisest human being to have walked on the face of the earth, proposed this approach: “If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.” (Proverbs 25:21). Really, Solomon? Why should I help someone who has hurt me intentionally?

Shame Your Adversary Using Kindness

Solomon’s counsel goes against human convention. Normally, when an opponent is vulnerable (for example, due to hunger or thirst), this is the best time to hit back. Indeed, by letting your foe die of starvation or dehydration, you will just be cooperating with nature! Right? Not according to Solomon.

The best way to deal with your rival is to help him or her. It is to act unconventionally. Instead of retaliating, you are supposed to extend kindness. In other words, demonstrate to your enemy that instead of hurting you, he or she made you stronger. Instead of making you bitter like them, they inspired you to become a better person.

How to Embarrass Your Enemy

Solomon offers an interesting reason for being kind to your tormentors. He says, “For so you will heap coals of fire on his head, and the LORD will reward you.” (Proverbs 25:22). The worst punishment you can administer to a person who has hurt you is to do good to them. This will pile shame and embarrassment on them and is likely to help them reform.

God will reward you for loving your enemies and being kind to them, when the reverse would be more logical. Today, if you get the opportunity, embarrass your enemy by behaving contrary to how they expected you to. Do not spare any effort or resource to help your foes, for in so doing you will prove you are a child of God. Be like Jesus. Love your enemies.

Prayer
Lord Jesus, help me to do good to those who hurt me, despite my inherent carnal desire for revenge.