In ancient times when people feasted together they would spend the entire day or days with their host. Many times they had come from a long distance. In the time the guest was visiting, their own fires would have gone out at their homes.

Fire meant life. Fire meant warmth for their families. Fire meant they could cook a meal. Fire was light. Fire was vital to their very existence. If they had no fire, they were in serious trouble.

When a guest would leave, the host would put coals in a small "pot" which the guest would often carry wrapped in his turban on their head. They would carry the coal home which would enable them to start their own fire back at their house or camp. It was an act of love in heaping coals on their head. They were giving the person a life giving blessing.

Think about this in terms of the Lord and our lives as His followers. As we bless and not curse our enemies, we are giving them life to bring back to their own home. We are able to send back with them light that can warm their whole family. We enable them to cook a meal of forgiveness and love to feed their own children. It is an act of blessing which can stop wars or family feuds. It overcomes evil with good.

The next time you are hurt by someone, think of these verses. People are really not our enemy. We have a spiritual enemy that sometimes moves through people. We over come the hurt or the evil with good. We don't engage in arguing, call names back, use rude hand gestures, or whatever people do when they are angry. We heap burning coals on their head by offering them life and light to bring back to their own home. We overcome evil with good. I pray God would give us the grace to be able to do so.