Devotion #6: The Upside Down Life

“If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ To the contrary, ‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:18–21 

In the Christian life, we live in the reality of the upside-down Kingdom. What this means is that there is a reality of principles, commands, and teachings that do not make sense to our modern world or even to the ancient world, for that matter. There are sayings like, “So the last will be first, and the first last” (Matthew 20:16) or “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 10:39) that can be foreign to us. These sayings and principles oftentimes do not make sense to us, but they make sense to God. 

The reality within these sayings is that God has a greater understanding than we do and that our natural instinct or inclination is not always right. Today, we are looking at caring for our enemies. This is something that is strictly against our own nature. Our culture says that when we get hit, we should hit back harder. When we are insulted, insult them right back. Paul is echoing what Jesus says in Matthew 5:43-44: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” 

Here, we enter an upside-down Kingdom. We, as Christians, are supposed to love those who hate us. We are not only to love them in our mind or speech, but in our actions. I do not know about you, but it is pretty hard to love somebody even if they are not my enemy. When a random person is driving too slow or cuts me off in traffic, they are not necessarily my enemy, but in that moment, I definitely do not want to love them. However, the reality is we are called to be different from all other people. We are to be different from all other religions. Oftentimes, other religions command love or care for other people based upon personal salvation, the weighing of the scales so that good deeds outweigh bad. However, the Christian life is different. Within the Christian life, we are called to love because we were first loved (1 John 4:19). 

The text does not say that we are to love so that we can be saved or that we are to be peaceable so that we can be saved. Instead, we do it to be an example. We do it to show the love of Christ. Our hope is that the love of Christ will convict others and bring them to a place where they can recognize their need for Jesus (“heap burning coals on his head”). 

2. How does living in the “upside-down Kingdom” challenge our natural instincts and cultural norms? 

5. How might loving your enemies serve as a witness to others and reflect the love of Christ in your life? 

Take time to consider the answers to these questions. Seek the Lord and ask Him whether you are loving your enemies as well. This is something that we do in the power of Christ, and in the understanding of what He has done for you and for me. We cannot do this on our own. We cannot do this in our own strength. We must do this out of a place of adoration for Jesus. We must be completely captivated by who He is and what He has done. When a cup is tipped over, whatever is inside comes out. So, if the Lord tips us over and pours us out over our enemies, what will come out? Will it be the love of Jesus, or will it be bitterness, jealousy, contempt, and worldly responses?