2 Kings 6:8-23
There is an invisible world around us. Every day we unknowingly interact with it, through our actions and the choices we make. Every choice is an opportunity to invest in one of two worlds. But most of the time we are blind to it. We open ourselves up for attack and we really don’t know it. We could be on the winning side, able to call for protection and back up when we need it most. However, usually these are the times when we think about it least. We lend ourselves to faithlessness and sin, appealing to our flesh rather than to God’s Spirit.
2 Kings demonstrates this in a way unlike any other in the Bible. What’s so great about this is that God gives the victory to Israel. He tells them where the Syrians will be camping through Elisha. He demonstrates that He is in control of every situation and that victory is guaranteed because He is God of all.
What’s really interesting is what Israel does with her Syrian prisoners. “Shall we kill them?” they ask. And what does Elisha say in response? “Would you really kill those you’ve captured? No, instead, go and give them food and water to eat and drink, then send them on their way.” So they did. This relates to another New Testament concept—“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.” The Syrians stopped raiding Israel’s land after that. Why? They had been easily captured, and rather than being killed, they were fed and taken care of in their need.
In our lives, we too should treat those around us as people in need rather than our enemies. In doing this, we leave them with a choice—“I can either have more of what they’ve got or I can distance myself from that person. He shines a light that is bright, but I want to see and understand what he’s got.” We need to live lives of love, treating everyone as someone who deserves to be loved with the Father’s love. Love overcomes fear, and it will triumph in the end.