Looking Back at 2025

As one year has ended, and another begins, I wanted to pause to look back.

My Fitbit tells me that I walked 1,515.06 miles and earned 7,515 heart minutes.

I used StoryGraph to track my books and audiobooks this year.

Books: 67 (physical) + 23 digital = 90 (for a combined 30,447 pages)

Audiobooks: 33 (for a combined 331.7 hours)

Total: 123

I volunteered at a local farm 34 days.

I spent spring break at 2 state parks with my dad.

BoardGameGeek tracked the games I played: 341 games played. 

My top 10 games: 

Star Realms 

Gizmos 

Race for the Galaxy 

Space Base 

Abandon All Artichokes 

Hanamikoji 

Harmonies 

Hive 

Kingdomino 

P.I.

Thanksgiving: Bible Edition

The Bible uses the word "thanksgiving" 30 times, "give thanks" 48 times and "giving thanks" 6 times in the NIV.

I encourage you to take some time to read through these verses.

Which verses encourage you? Praise God for the ability to thank Him.

Which verses convict you? Repent and listen to the Spirit guiding you to change.

Which verses confuse you? Break out some resources and study deeper.

What is a verse you want to memorize? Write it down and study it daily. 

What is something new you have learned? Who can you tell about it? 

On the Cusp of Something New

Once more, a season draws to a close, as the next season approaches. 

This can be a time of strong emotions, many of which conflict with each other.

It's possible to mourn the end of the current season, even while feeling excited and nervous for the new season.

We can feel both hopeful and optimistic as we look at the possibilities ahead of us, even as we might feel disappointed that we didn't check off as many things from our list as we had hoped. 

As my summer winds down, and I prepare to return to work in a local school, I am left reflecting on my summer and looking ahead to my new rhythm once the school year starts once more. 

How did I do with loving and supporting my husband this summer? 

How will I build and protect time with him during the school year? 

How did I do with connecting with family and friends this summer? 

How will I continue to connect with family and friends during the school year? 

What things did I accomplish this summer? 

What things do I hope to accomplish during the school year? 

What activities did not get accomplished this summer? Why?

What do I want my priorities to be during the school year? Why? 

What was my schedule and rhythm this summer? 

What do I want my schedule and rhythm to look like during the school year? 

When you are on the cusp of something new, you have the opportunity to reflect, reset, and refocus on what really matters. 

Defending the Marginalized

God cares about the fatherless, the widow, the poor, the oppressed, and the foreigner. He commands us to care for them.

Yet we do all we can to get away from this command.

We say it's the State's job and not ours. Even though God commanded US to care for them.

We label them "undeserving". Even though we don't DESERVE God's grace and God didn't add qualifiers like "if they're deserving" 

We spiritualize it and don't meet their needs because we are just praying for them. Even though James condemned faith without action.

We focus on side issues and political hot button issues to the exclusion of God's commands. Even though these were not optional commands from God.

We give up saying that the world is broken and won't be fixed until Jesus returns, so we're just going to have to live with others being oppressed so we won't be inconvenienced. Even though we are told to live justly and walk humbly with God.

Instead of being concerned with OUR rights, let us be the group that speaks up for the groups that society marginalizes. Instead of using our voices to speak on OUR behalf, let us amplify the voices of those being oppressed and ignored. 

Then we will be obeying God's command to care for the fatherless, the widow, the poor, the oppressed, and the foreigner. 

The Secret of Not Getting Sick of Christmas

I was struck this year by how some people are sick of Christmas-time, before it's even Christmas. In several conversations I had, people were chomping at the bit to tear down their Christmas decorations because they were tired of this season already. 

There is a "secret" to not getting sick of Christmas: make the holiday wait its turn. People are racing past the season of Advent in order to start the Christmas season earlier each year, but then are ready for the "next thing" by the time that Christmas is actually here.

If we follow the Church Year, then we have 4 Sundays of Advent to prepare ourselves for the 12 Days of Christmas, before the Season of Epiphany starts. Christmas was not meant to be a month+ of celebration and excesses; it was meant to be merely 12 days of feasting after 4 Sundays of preparation (or 40 days of fasting, discounting Sundays, in some denominations). 

Instead of doing the convenient, the comfortable, or everything possible during the holiday season, intentionally map out and build your holiday to keep the focus on Jesus. 

    -Start by taking a sheet of paper and brainstorm everything Advent/Christmas/December related. 

    -Then on a new piece of paper, separate your list into sacred and secular. (This isn't to say that the secular celebrations of Christmas should be trashed, but rather to get a concise list of the sacred traditions of Christmas). 

    -Then on a new piece of paper, separate your list into Advent and Christmas. What traditions are about waiting and anticipating? What traditions are about celebrating and worshiping? 

    -Do the same thing with the songs of the season. Sacred-Secular first and then Advent-Christmas second. 

Instead of setting up everything Christmas related the day after Thanksgiving, slowly start putting things out each week of Advent (granted, some years, Advent actually starts before Thanksgiving). 

Instead of assembling a complete Nativity scene, or scenes as the case may be, make them progressive. 

    -Set out Mary and Joseph the first week of Advent.

    -Set out the angel by Mary the second week of Advent.

    -Move the angel to Joseph the third week of Advent.

    -Send the angels to the shepherds the fourth week of Advent.

    -Put Jesus in the manger on Christmas Eve.

    -Slowly move the Wise Men/Magi towards Jesus, but don't let them get there before January 6th (Epiphany). 

Instead of binging on the Christmas music, treats, and movies all month long (or all year long for some), limit them to one day a week (or one season a year) as a special treat.

Christmas is not something we should get sick of, yet after a month of Christmas in overdrive, we are worn out by the 2nd day of Christmas. 

What might you do to separate Advent and Christmas? 

My Favorite Marriage Books

My husband and I have reached 12 years of marriage. Yay!! We have learned from each other, seen each other at our best and worst, and made mistakes. We have also learned from those who came before us through marriage books and resources. As our anniversary date approached (I'm writing this 2 months early!!), I started reflecting on the formative books that shaped my perspective and actions in our marriage. Below is a list (in no particular order) of the books that have shaped me the most!

Boundaries in Marriage by Henry Cloud, John Townsend

Romancing Your Husband by Debra White Smith

The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman

Red-Hot Monogamy by Bill and Pam Farrel

Making Marriage Simple by Harvill Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt

The Good Fight Dr. Les and Leslie Parrott

Everybody Fights by Kim and Penn Holderness

25 Ways to Communicate Respect for Your Husband by Jennifer Flanders

What's It Like to Be Married to Me? And Other Dangerous Questions by Linda Dillow

Passion and Purity by Elisabeth Elliot

The 4 Seasons of Marriage by Gary Chapman

What Shamu Taught Me About Life, Love, and Marriage by Amy Sutherland

How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish

Self-Centered or Others-Centered

If you ask a person if they are self-centered or others-centered, I'm betting most people want to be perceived as others-centered. However, if we take time to look at their words, actions, and online presence, we will discover that most people are in fact self-centered.

Unfortunately, we in the Church are not immune to this tendency.

It shows up when we are most concerned about OUR rights and laws protecting OUR interests. 

It shows up when we are ready to be offended at the drop of a hat (aka walk around with a chip on our shoulder). "They wished me "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas"!!"

It shows up when so many of our services and meetings end in complaining, griping, and other negative talk. 

It shows up when we stop showing concern for the very people that God commands us to defend and serve (the fatherless, the widow, the poor, the oppressed, the foreigner, and so on). 

Instead of amplifying the voices of those on the margins of society, whom we are commanded by God to care for, we are shouting about how WE need more power so WE won't be oppressed because so many people want to treat US poorly and take away OUR rights.

Our focus is skewed and we are poorly representing God when we use His name and twist His Scripture to justify our thirst for power. We are willing to overlook injustices and oppression, as long as WE aren't inconvenienced and WE aren't being mistreated. 

When we act this way, we aren't loving our neighbor as ourselves.

We aren't defending the marginalized.

We aren't seeking the interests of others.

We are being self-centered and that does not glorify God. 

Sit with this. It is uncomfortable.

Sit and repent.

Sit and turn from self-centered to others-centered.

A Necessary Role in the Church: The Questioner

The Church is guilty of creating an in-group (us) versus out-group (them). 

Furthermore, the Church is guilty of mocking, belittling, and tearing down the outgroup. 

That is why it is necessary for the Church to have people in its Sunday School classes, dinners, services, and other events, whose role is to question the Christ-likeness of our jokes, descriptions, and words in general.

So when someone makes a disparaging comment connecting atheists and the first of April, the Questioner can ask "If an atheist was here and heard your comment, would they be drawn to find out more about the Christ you profess?" 

When someone makes a mockery of the name of the opposing political party, the Questioner can ask "Is that how we should love our enemies?" 

When someone belittles the clothes/attitudes/behavior of the youth, the Question can ask "Is that how you want to be treated?" 

The Questioner is not to question the morality (or lack thereof) of the world, but they are to challenge those in the Church to choose words that are godly, edifying, and encouraging. 

Because people who feel mocked, judged, belittled, or otherwise put-down will want nothing to do with the Church or the Jesus we claim to follow. 

The Spiritual Discipline of Piano-Playing

I recently buckled down on my piano-playing skills. I took lessons through middle & high schools, but had only dabbled in piano-playing for over a decade.

As I focused on this set-aside talent, I began to notice how playing the piano could teach me more about how to be a better Christ-follower. So I decided to collect those thoughts and share them here:

1. Playing the piano requires practice time. I won't  get good at a song by having it nearby. Similarly, growing in my faith requires intentional effort & time with God.

2. While I am learning a new song, I listen to it ALL the time. While driving. While washing dishes. While walking. Similarly, growing in my faith is easier when I'm listening to sermons, worship songs, and the audio Bible as I go about my day.

3. I can't just play the parts that I'm good at and expect to somehow improve with the hard sections. Similarly, I can't expect to grow in an area I struggle with if I just focus on the areas that come easier to me. I have to work on the difficult parts of Christian obedience.

4. Sometimes I need to make an adjustment to the song based on what I am physical capable of playing. Similarly, sometimes I need to adjust what I'm learning to my specific circumstances. 

5. This song won't be mastered in a day or even a month. Similarly, my faith won't be mastered in a brief time.

6. I can't just play one day a week and expect to improve. It's only by faithfully playing day in and day out that improvement happens. Similarly, I can't expect to grow if my faith if I limit working on it to once a week for an hour.

7. While I am aware of the mistakes I make in playing, to the outside observer, it's not so obvious. Similarly, my struggles & sins aren't obvious to someone else, but they may notice ways I have grown over the years 

8. I must remember that this song brings me joy to hear it played, especially on the hard days when things aren't in sync. Similarly, there will be days that faith is hard and I need to remember the joy that got me started in my faith.

9. Learning a new song requires research. I'm looking up high & low notes. I'm googling musical instructions & symbols. Similarly, learning about Christianity requires research and digging deeper

10. I write on my practice music a LOT and that's okay. Similarly, writing in my Bible and journals can help me remember what I have learned

What mundane task do you do that you can draw connections to your faith? 

Lay It Down

Our world is scary and a mess. When we are faced with the fear, confusion, and chaos, our temptation is to cling to the systems of the world that have served us in the past. But we must lay down all things that are not of God's Kingdom, so we can follow Christ without the baggage and burden of earthly identities and hinderances. 

Lay down our national identity. To follow the Lamb of God, we must turn from our national agenda. The paths of Christ and the United States have diverged a long time ago. We cannot follow both. Who will we follow and serve? 

We choose to place our identity in the Kingdom of Heaven, not the country we were born in. 

Lay down our political identity. The Lamb of God is not aligned with the Donkey or the Elephant. 

We choose to place our identity in God's Kingdom, where the poor in spirit, mourners, meek, those hungering & thirsting after righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers, and persecuted are blessed.

Lay down our familial ties. The Family of God supersedes the ties of the families we were born into. 

We choose to view all Christians as mother, brother, and sister, instead of the family we were born into.

Lay down our desire for power and control. God is King, not us. We were not commanded to legislate our morality and punish those who break our religious laws.

We choose to speak for the powerless without seeking power ourselves.

Lay down our desire for comfort and convenience. To follow Christ is to go where we are uncomfortable, to learn uncomfortable truths, and face the dark side of our history.

We choose to learn about the history (and modern story) of racism, white supremacy, nationalism in the church, and other uncomfortable truths. 

Lay down our desire for convenience. When we follow Christ, we are often inconvenienced, as we are called to serve others, love those who hate us, and follow Him instead of our plan. 

We choose to be inconvenienced as Christ asks us to feed His sheep, care for those on the margins of society, and follow where His Spirit guides us. 

Lay down our desire for safety. Christ commanded us to put away our swords, turn the other cheek, and live in peace with others. 

We choose to lay down our weapons and defenses. We choose to respond peaceably in the face of violence.

Lay down our compulsion to defend God. Listen to the pain of those hurt by the church without rationalizing the actions of those who hurt them. Listen to their anger without getting defensive or hurt yourself. God is big enough to take all of the pain, anger, frustration, and confusion a person brings. God does not need us to defend HIM. 

We choose to offer compassion instead of judgment to those who are hurting.

Lay down our need to save face and refuse to admit when we're wrong. Seek forgiveness and reconciliation when we have hurt others instead of doubling down on our position or explaining how we are not to blame.

We choose to forgive and seek forgiveness. We choose to reconcile and seek reconciliation.

Lay down our pride. In our national identity, political identity, and righteousness. We remember that pride is a sin and God opposes the proud. When we are prideful, we aren't teachable.

We choose to humble ourselves and walk in humility.

Lay down our persecution complex. We have a mindset that we are so persecuted in the United States, when really people are pushing back against our unloving and judgmental words and actions. Learn about the persecution that the persecuted church is facing: the destruction of homes & businesses, the physical beatings and executions, and so on. 

We choose to pray for the persecuted and their persecutors. We choose to remember those in prison for their faith.

Lay down our judgments. We were not called to judge the world, but we find ourselves judging those with different political affiliations, lifestyles, and religions.

We choose to humble ourselves before the seat of judgment instead of sitting in judgment of others.

Once we have laid all of these things down, we find that our hands are free to take up our cross, deny ourselves, and follow Christ. 

Fasting and Feasting: Week 6

Fast from hatred.

Feast with peace.

What does our fasting vice mean? 

Look it up in the dictionary. 

What does the Bible say about this vice? 

Is the Holy Spirit convicting you of exhibiting this vice? 

What are the circumstances when you display this vice? 

How is the Holy Spirit guiding you to fast from this vice? 

How might you continue to fast from it after Lent is over? 

What does our feasting virtue mean? 

Look it up in the dictionary. 

What does the Bible say about this virtue? 

How has the Holy Spirit cultivated this virtue in you? 

Fasting and Feasting: Week 5

Fast from fits of rage.

Feast with gentleness.

What does our fasting vice mean? 

Look it up in the dictionary. 

What does the Bible say about this vice? 

Is the Holy Spirit convicting you of exhibiting this vice? 

What are the circumstances when you display this vice? 

How is the Holy Spirit guiding you to fast from this vice? 

How might you continue to fast from it after Lent is over? 

What does our feasting virtue mean? 

Look it up in the dictionary. 

What does the Bible say about this virtue? 

How has the Holy Spirit cultivated this virtue in you? 

Fasting and Feasting: Week 4

Fast from idolatry.

Feast with faithfulness.

What does our fasting vice mean? 

Look it up in the dictionary. 

What does the Bible say about this vice? 

Is the Holy Spirit convicting you of exhibiting this vice? 

What are the circumstances when you display this vice? 

How is the Holy Spirit guiding you to fast from this vice? 

How might you continue to fast from it after Lent is over? 

What does our feasting virtue mean? 

Look it up in the dictionary. 

What does the Bible say about this virtue? 

How has the Holy Spirit cultivated this virtue in you? 

Fasting and Feasting: Week 3

Fast from selfish ambition. 

Feast with self-control.

What does our fasting vice mean? 

Look it up in the dictionary. 

What does the Bible say about this vice? 

Is the Holy Spirit convicting you of exhibiting this vice? 

What are the circumstances when you display this vice? 

How is the Holy Spirit guiding you to fast from this vice? 

How might you continue to fast from it after Lent is over? 

What does our feasting virtue mean? 

Look it up in the dictionary. 

What does the Bible say about this virtue? 

How has the Holy Spirit cultivated this virtue in you? 

Fasting and Feasting: Week 2

Fast from jealousy and envy. 

Feast with joy. 

What do our fasting vices mean? 

Look them up in the dictionary. 

What does the Bible say about these vices? 

Search for each word individually.

Is the Holy Spirit convicting you of exhibiting these vices? 

What are the circumstances when you display these vices? 

How is the Holy Spirit guiding you to fast from these vices? 

How might you continue to fast from them after Lent is over? 

What does our feasting virtue mean? 

Look it up in the dictionary. 

What does the Bible say about this virtue? 

How has the Holy Spirit cultivated this virtue in you? 

Fasting and Feasting: Week 1

For those who need a refresher on Galatians 5:19-23, please read it over it. There are 15 vices and 9 virtues packed into these 5 verses. 

Fast from discord, dissensions, and factions. 

Feast with kindness.

What do our fasting vices mean? 

Look them up in the dictionary. 

What does the Bible say about these vices? 

Search for each word individually.

Is the Holy Spirit convicting you of exhibiting these vices? 

What are the circumstances when you display these vices? 

How is the Holy Spirit guiding you to fast from these vices? 

How might you continue to fast from them after Lent is over? 

What does our feasting virtue mean? 

Look it up in the dictionary. 

What does the Bible say about this virtue? 

How has the Holy Spirit cultivated this virtue in you? 

Fasting and Feasting during Lent

Welcome to Lent. Lent is a period of fasting that runs from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday (before Resurrection Sunday aka Easter). While Lent involves 40 days of fasting, there are actually 46 days between Ash Wednesday and Resurrection Sunday. That is because the 6 Sundays of Lent are not meant to be fasting days; Sundays are for feasting. 

The purpose of fasting is to grow closer to God. We give up something, so we can focus on Him more. Lent isn't about denying ourselves to make ourselves miserable. We deny ourselves food, non-essentials, or actions so that we can give more of our time, energy, and money to God. 

In the Bible, fasting was almost exclusively about giving up food, but in our culture that shies away from depriving ourselves of anything, fasting from social media and other non-food habits is common. 

For more information on fasting, you can read these posts: 2021, 2021 (series), 2018, and 2013. 

For this Lent, I am recommending a two-pronged approached.

1. Fasting

      A. Fast from non-essential foods. (Essential foods include fruits, vegetables, protein, grains, and dairy).

      B. Fast from vices. We will be looking at vices mentioned in Galatians 5:19-23

2. Feasting

      A. Feast with a special treat on Sundays. Share your treat with those around you. 

      B. Feast with virtues. We will be looking at virtues mentioned in Galatians 5:19-23

How will you fast during Lent? 

How will you feast on Sundays? 

Fasting in Advent: A First Sunday Advent Devotional

Introducing Advent

Welcome to Advent! This is separate and distinct from the Christmas season. So even though our culture tries to rush into the celebration, we first participate in the season of Advent, a season of waiting, preparing, and fasting. Fasting!?!? Yes, fasting. In the Church Year, Advent has traditionally been a time to fast as we prepare for the celebration of Jesus's birth. But before diving into today's topic of fasting during Advent, we will first look at the big picture plan for this season. Advent covers the period of time of the 4 Sundays before Christmas. So each Sunday of Advent, there will be a new blogpost in this series, looking at one of the aspects of Advent. This week, we will cover fasting, next week, we will consider gifts from a new light. The third week, we will look at how to make room for the Christ Child in a season that is chronically overbooked and stuffed with activities that are meant to be fun, but tend to add to our stress. Finally we will discuss how the waiting, listening, silence, and even darkness of Advent prepares us for the celebration of Christmastide. 

Fasting in Advent

Last year I learned that Advent, in the Church Year, has traditionally been a time of fasting, just like Lent is. Some people fast for the 40 days before Christmas (discounting Sundays of course), whereby others might fast from All Saint's Day (November 1st) until Christmas Eve (December 24th). 

Why should we consider fasting during Advent? It fits with the theme of waiting and anticipating, for one. We aren't celebrating in Advent, we celebrate during Christmastide (aka the 12 days of Christmas). So instead of a month of feasting, cramming our schedules full of secular traditions, or otherwise rushing into Christmas, we wait, fast, and pray. 

Fasting in the Bible has traditionally been food. There are plenty of resources on the internet about the biblical examples of fasting and how to fast. I will recommend this fasting guideline that outlines a 9 step process to fasting. So instead of going from "never" to "fully fasting", we can gradually adjust our fasting levels as we cut out different foods. (FYI, the fully fasting means "no meat, fish, dairy products, wine or oil during the entirety of Great Lent" so I'm not talking about not eating for 40 days, but I'm talking about restricting what I eat while still getting all of the vital nutrients). 

I personally do a blend of Wesleyan fasting and Greek Orthodox fasting. During Lent and Advent, I A) reduce the types of food that I eat and B) wait until the afternoon to eat. So I am still eating during the times of fasting, but the non-essential foods are set aside for this season and I delay when I break my fast for the day. For those who must eat meals on a regular schedule for their health, then still eat all 3 meals, but consider cutting out non-essential snacks and non-essential dishes)

How can we fast this Advent season? 

Romans 12: Part 23

Romans 12: Part 23

After instructing us to let God handle the avenging and to treat our enemies humanely, Paul finishes this chapter with the command "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

The evil in the world wants to win. It wants to overwhelm and overpower God's people. It wants to drag us down to its level, where we make poor choices in the name of "the ends justify the means". If it can get us to lie, cheat, and steal under the guise of "winning a victory for Christ", then we have tarnished our witness as Christians and dragged Jesus' name through the mud. We must resist copying evil's ways to get our own way. How we achieve our goals matter just as much as the actual achievement. 

Instead of being overcome by evil, we should instead overcome evil with good. When we are hurt, we should not retaliate in anger and lash out. When we are wronged, we should forgive. When we are mocked and persecuted, we should pray for the people persecuting us. When someone strikes us on one cheek, we should turn the other cheek. (If you are in an abusive relationship, please seek help and refuge at a shelter. This verse does not justify ongoing abuse that we must continue to take because the abuser has twisted Scripture in an attempt to spiritualize their abuse.) Instead of sinking to their level and copying their tactics, we choose to obey Jesus' commands in how we treat them.

Questions to Wrestle With

Take time this week to consider: 

-How has evil tried to overcome you? 

-How have you tried to overcome evil with good? 

The End of Ordinary Time

For 23 weeks we have looked at and studied Romans 12. Yet, each season in the Church Year must draw to a close and make room for the next one. Next Sunday is the last Sunday before the season of Advent begins (the 4 Sundays before Christmas Day). In the Church Year, this Sunday is traditionally Christ the King Sunday, where we acknowledge His authority as the King of the Universe. Since this Sunday falls right before Thanksgiving (this year), we will be studying what the Bible says about "thanksgiving", "giving thanks", and "give thanks". 

New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Romans 12: Part 22

 Romans 12: Part 22

After telling us in verse 18 to "live at peace with everyone" with the qualifiers "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you," Paul goes on in verses 19 and 20 to tell us "Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “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.”"

Don't Take Revenge

We should not take revenge. We should not take revenge. We should not take revenge. 

If someone hurts us with their words, we should not take revenge. 

If someone cheats us or steals from us, we should not take revenge. 

If someone mistreats us, we should not take revenge. 

If someone persecutes us, we should not take revenge. 

We should not take revenge. We should not take revenge. We should not take revenge. 

Let God (the Avenger) Handle It

God handles the avenging. God will repay each person according to their deeds. (He said that He would in Deut. 32:35) If we are mistreated because of the Gospel (not our political affiliations or our own failures to live out the Scriptures), then God will handle it. To those who disobey His commands, they will face His wrath. But before we think we are safe, we need to remember that sin is not just "doing bad things", but is also "not doing good things". So if we are dehumanizing the people at our borders, the people on the other side of the political aisle, the people marginalized by society (the widow, orphan, stranger, poor, etc.), then we will be facing God's wrath. God cares for those on the margins of society and when we neglect them, Jesus counts it as we are neglecting HIM (see the parable of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25:31-46). The way we treat other people and the way we talk about other people, even if they are not there (which is gossip), can earn us our own share of God's wrath. He will avenge His people's mistreatment, so let us carefully consider if our actions are wracking up His wrath. 

How to Treat Your Enemy

Instead of taking revenge, we should treat our enemy like, well, like we want to be treated. If our enemy is hungry, we should feed them. If our enemy is thirsty, we should give them something to drink. The quote from the Old Testament (Prov. 25:21-22) continues to say that treating our enemy well will "heap burning coals on his head". When someone treats us poorly and we respond by treating them well, then it will bother and perplex them. They might even want to know why we are helping them after the way they treated us. And that opens the door to sharing the Good News of Jesus, who commands us (in Matthew 5) to love our enemies and pray for our persecutors. 

Questions to Wrestle With

Take time this week to consider: 

-When are you often tempted to take revenge? 

-How do you tend to avenge yourself? 

-When do you leave the avenging to God? 

-Which of your actions have earned your own share of God's wrath? 

-Which of God's people do you tend to mistreat? 

-When have you fed your enemy? 

-When have you given your enemy something to drink? 

-When has treating your enemy well confused them? 

New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.