It's certainly not about "winning". God said vengeance is His. If heaping coals was vengeance, wouldn't that mean we ourselves apply vengeance, albeit indirectl

It's certainly not about "winning". God said vengeance is His. If heaping coals was vengeance, wouldn't that mean we ourselves apply vengeance, albeit indirectly, by being nice to our enemies? Wouldn't that mean the motivation for our acts of kindness is corrupted by the burning desire for revenge? These problems cause others to find a different interpretation, putting the hot coals in a good light, instead of a "vengeful" one. Here is a short overview on the topic: http://prumc.blogspot.com/2009/04/heap-burning-coals.html http://prumc.blogspot.com/2009/04/heap-burning-coals.html