For many years I thought that the New Testament verse that is a quote from it was wrong. It just didn’t line up with my understanding of grace. Then one day, I was in a training course and the leader gave us all the true meaning of piling hot coals on his head.

Proverbs 25:21-22

21 If your enemy is hungry, feed him; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; 22 For thus you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.

A lot of people think that feeding your enemy or giving him a drink this will actually hurt him similar to if you had put burning coals on his head. This is a misunderstanding of the Scriptures and does not have the same meaning in these days since we do not live in the times when this was said.

At the time that Solomon wrote this and is quoted in the NT, there was a person in each town all night and he tended a fire all night, making coals. This person every night, early in the morning, would carry all the coals in an urn and put it on his head, go from house to house and give each lady enough coals to light her fire.

So when he talks about piling hot coals on his head, he’s saying that by feeding your enemy and treating him kindly, you can make him a blessing to your community. One way is that the soldiers you have captured and fed could return to where they came from and discourage them from attacking you and your people again.

This verse also says that if you treat your enemies with love, God the Father will reward you for your efforts. God doesn’t miss anything. Our Father in heaven watches all that we do and he is not too busy to see all the good that we do.