Love in action

By: Alistair Begg – November 6, 2026.

Key points

• Mississippi revenues up $202.8 million over estimates four months into fiscal year.
• The Grand Opera House: Meridian's history, mystery, and a remarkable second act.
• Alistair Begg has been in pastoral ministry since 1975.
• Owens sentenced to 41 months in federal prison for role in Jackson bribery scheme.
• Mississippi lawmakers gather information on kratom as 2027 session nears.

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." – Romans 12: 19-20.

For context, the "burning coals" in this passage are not a metaphor for revenge or pain. Rather, they signify the shame and remorse that individuals feel when, instead of giving them the retribution we think they deserve, we show them kindness and generosity. It is the effect caused when Christians treat those who have wronged them in a way that is entirely without malice or vengefulness, and is therefore foundationally supernatural. When that happens, John Calvin observes, the mind of the enemy may well be "torn in one of two ways. Either our enemy will be softened by kindness, or. He will be stung and tormented by the testimony of his conscience."

These coals, therefore, are not to ultimately bring hurt but healing. Our generous actions are to encourage reconciliation, drawing the individual to us, not pushing them from us. It's just like the mercy we received from God when we were still His enemies (Romans 2: 4; 5: 8).

If we are honest, though, those are not really the kind of coals we are looking for when we are wronged and hurt. Plenty of of us would be quite happy to find out that coals actually would land on our enemies' heads, burning and scarring them. After all, it's nothing less than they deserve! But this reflects our fallenness and not our faith. This doesn't look or sound like Jesus. That is what makes these verses so incredibly challenging.

Notice that God's word calls us not merely not to react in vengefulness but to be proactive in blessing. When we manage not to retaliate, we have not yet fully obeyed. As disciples of Jesus, we're not only to refrain from doing our enemies evil; we're actually to do them good. It is straightforward to convince ourselves that ignoring our foes will take care of the challenge or is the most we can realistically be projected to do; but here we discover that we're actually supposed to show them hospitality! Our role is to respond to wrongdoing with a spirit of generosity, trusting that God will always judge justly and therefore we do not need to judge, and indeed must not do so (1 Peter 2: 23).

Even as members of Christ's body, plenty of of us still seek to justify our disobedient, retributive actions or thoughts. Yet while our enemies' minds may be able to cope with our arguments and their spirits will be solid enough to stand against our threats, love in action might bring them to repentance.

How does your heart need to be transformed or your actions affected by these verses? Do not duck the challenge of them. Part of growing in Christlikeness is to look for ways to do good to your enemies, acting out of the overflow of God's radical kindness and generosity. Regarding the Author(s).

Alistair Begg has been in pastoral ministry since 1975. After graduation from The London School of Theology, he served eight years in Scotland at both Charlotte Chapel in Edinburgh and Hamilton Baptist Church. In 1983, he became the senior pastor at Parkside Church near Cleveland, Ohio. He has written a number of books and is heard daily and weekly on the radio program, Truth For Life. His Daily Devotionals are presented here via a syndication agreement. Faith Alistair Begg November 3, 2026. It requires skill and godliness to disagree graciously. More From This Author.

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God can take the broken pieces of our lives, the horrific mistakes, the botched opportunities, the wicked outcomes emerging from our evil hearts and employ them as reminders as we move forward for the Kingdom. Faith Alistair Begg October 28, 2026.

We must be careful not to fall into the world's trap of calling "evil good and good evil" or being those "who put darkness for light and light for darkness." News Jeremy Pittari November 5, 2026. Mississippi lawmakers gather information on kratom as 2027 session nears. News Frank Corder November 5, 2026.

Owens sentenced to 41 months in federal prison for role in Jackson bribery scheme. News Frank Corder November 5, 2026.

Mississippi revenues up $202.8 million over estimates four months into fiscal year. Business Meredith Biesinger October 22, 2026. New Albany's claim to cake fame: Sugaree's Bakery. Business Frank Corder October 20, 2026. Fairbanks Morse Defense doubling manufacturing capacity at its Pascagoula facility. Business Cass Rutledge October 20, 2026. Lumber manufacturer investing $8.3 million in Macon expansion. Culture Alistair Begg November 4, 2026. At home in Christ. Culture Marisa Atkinson November 3, 2026. 'Are You Ready?!' Hotty Toddy turns 100. Culture Meredith Biesinger November 3, 2026.

Notably, the Grand Opera House: Meridian's history, mystery, and a remarkable second act. Opinion Russ Latino November 4, 2026.

Democrats took Republicans behind the woodshed. The GOP has only itself to blame. Opinion Sid Salter November 4, 2026.

Like other tax proposals, California voters on Nov. 3 test-drove a tax on billionaires. Opinion Russ Latino November 3, 2026. A time for choosing: America's future is bigger than one election.

In short, love in action is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.