Gregory Koukl wrote a book called _Tactics_ about how a Christian may share their faith with others. In conversation with those who don’t accept Christ as their sole means of salvation he states his objective is to “put a stone in their shoe” simply by showing an interest in the person and asking questions. There is a biblical equivalent to this.
In my adult years I have always been interested in the
intersection of old and new testaments. The place I often
begin is obviously when an old testament passage is quoted
within the new.
One such passage is found in Romans 12:20: “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.” This is a quote of Proverbs 25:21&22.
In my daily Bible reading I read Psalm 140. What came to
mind as I read this was Paul’s description of the “armor of
God” in Ephesians 6. See verse 2 about the heart without
the breastplate of righteousness. Verse 2 says that heart
“devises evil plans”. See verse 4 about the feet. The
wicked “plan to trip my feet”. But, we are commanded to be
on our guard to move while we spread the “gospel of peace”
in Ephesians. But, the eye-opening parallel comparing this
Psalm with Ephesians 6 is the “helmit of salvation”.
Verse 7 is an unmistakable description of a helmet covering
the head: “O Sovereign Lord, my strong deliverer, who
shields my head in the day of battle,”. When we meditate on
the words of this verse this is indeed a description of
“salvation”. What about the wicked? Well this psalm
mentions their head covering in verse 9 “Let the heads of
those who surround me be covered with the trouble their lips
have caused”. Any person who rejects the gospel of Jesus
Christ as well as His Sovereign authority over their life
has replaced salvation with an anti-Christ worldview.
Our conversations with others in this condition is serious
business. Verse 10 says “Let burning coals fall upon them;
may they be thrown into the fire, into miry pits, never to
rise.”
Now, returning to Romans 12:20, the context says to live
peaceably with all men as much as possible and let God
handle revenge. Don’t allow his head covering (evil lips
speaking anti-Christ venom) to overcome you. The burning
coal on your enemy’s head is good. Overcome evil with good.