If your enemy is hungry, feed them.

a verse or two

“What a week! For a start it’s been pretty wet. There was the big wedding, the big killing and the passing away of a dearly loved one from our own church. Below are some thoughts from that mix of events.”

Mothers Day

On this Mothers Day I wonder if mums ought to be awarded some kind of management CEO type of award after successfully managing to dry all the washing even though it rained every day. Even more kudos ought to be heaped on mums who don’t own a clothes dryer and still managed their taxi service, to feed everyone, kept things ticking along and dried the clothes. God bless all mums.

Spiritual Walk and Musings: If your enemy is hungry, feed them.

It was a sad memorial service on Thursday as we said good bye to our dearly loved Kath – peace filled Kath. In a way it was good she didn’t have to hear the news of the US vengeance. For surely it wasn’t justice, there was no trial, instead the US acted as judge, jury, and executioner. Oh, if only world government leaders would listen to the Bible reading beamed out to over 2.5 billion people during the Royal Wedding. The verses were from Romans chapter 12 (my favourite chapter of the Bible), although sadly not all the verses were read aloud. One thing to muse on is that it’s important we read even the verses we don’t like; so we can understand the verses we do we like.

Back to Romans 12. Verses 17 & 18 were read out “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Why do militaristic types not listen to such words? When spoken at the wedding I wondered if there was a message of peace trying to be made clear to the world and powers that be. Perhaps they also needed to hear the remaining verses which can seem harsh but possibly offer a why of not needing to repay anyone evil with evil.

Romans 12 verse 19ff “19 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. 20 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.” 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

It is not our job to seek revenge. If we felt sickened by television images on September 11th 2001 when we saw certain people in the Middle East celebrating the destruction of the twin towers, I hope we were just as sickened this week by the sights of people celebrating the killing of another person. Osama bin Laden was evil, as Jim Wallis writes “he was truly an apostle of hate, a dedicated purveyor of violence in response to every grievance, a manipulator and distorter of religion for political purposes, and a man responsible for the deaths of thousands of people.” But Wallis rightfully reminds us as followers of Christ, “it is never a Christian response to celebrate the death of any human being, even one so given over to the face of evil. Violence is always an indication of our failure to resolve our conflicts by peaceful means, and is always an occasion for deeper reflection.”

The apostle Paul said “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Ro 12:21). May we do what Paul says in our homes (as it is a form of spiritual warfare, it is a coming against an evil spirit with an opposite spirit). May we teach this to our family and friends, and we may pray that world leaders might see the folly of vengeance.

God bless you all, Jon.

Something to do: Pray for peace.

Please pray that the world will seek ways for every event to be an occasion for further growth of peace and not of hatred as the following from the Vatican suggests:

“Osama bin Laden, as we all know, bore the most serious responsibility for spreading divisions and hatred among populations, causing the deaths of innumerable people, and manipulating religions to this end…[yet]…in the face of a man’s death, a Christian never rejoices, but reflects on the serious responsibilities of each person before God and before men, and hopes and works so that every event may be the occasion for the further growth of peace and not of hatred.” [Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman]

To Ponder and Pray: a quote from Martin Luther King Jnr

"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: Only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: Only love can do that."

A prayer:

O God of justice and mercy,
we have heard the news that Osama bin Laden is dead.
For many this has brought relief and the hope that hate and violence will cease.
For many this event has stirred feelings of hatred and revenge in the celebration of his death.
Forgive us where we have turned from relief and hope to hate.
Your love knows no bounds.
Your love calls us to face up to ourselves.
Your love confronts the hatred and violence in us and in our world.
Your justice sets us right, challenging our wrongdoing,
restoring our humanity, offering us hope of forgiveness and change.
Your mercy knows no hate, knows no limits, knows no end.
Grant that as we share relief at the end of Osama's leadership
we may be strong to embrace your mercy and your justice in our world
that love may replace hatred, justice, injustice, hope, hopelessness,
and healing and peace take root where there is alienation and pain,
In the name of him who is full of grace and truth.
Amen [by Revd William R. G. Loader Emeritus Professor (New Testament)]