Podcast Summary: Christ With Coffee On Ice

Host: Ally Yost (with guest, Ashley)
Episode: Vengeance Is the Lord’s
Date: September 13, 2024

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the foundational Christian principle that “vengeance is the Lord’s,” highlighting what it means to live with compassion, humility, and trust in God’s justice rather than taking matters into one's own hands. The hosts, Ally and Ashley, read extensively from Proverbs (NLT translation, Proverbs 25–31), weaving together Scripture, real-life anecdotes, and honest discussion about dealing with adversity, responding in love, and developing spiritual maturity. The episode encourages listeners to internalize God’s Word and lean on Him in daily struggles, big or small.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Importance of Being in the Word

• Ally emphasizes intentional Bible reading—not just listening—as the best way for God's Word to be “embedded in our hearts.”
  • “The Word of God should actually be enough for us. That is food to our souls.” (00:36)

2. God Cares About Every Detail of Our Lives

• Sharing a lighthearted story about praying for flies to leave their house, Ally and Ashley demonstrate that no concern is too small for God.
  • “Nothing is too silly, nothing is too small… Even a housefly has to answer to the name of Jesus.” (04:01)

3. Reading and Reflecting on Proverbs (Chapters 25–31)

• They read passages, offering commentary and application throughout.

Repaying Evil with Good

• Key Verse: Proverbs 25:21–22
  • “If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them water to drink. You will heap burning coals of shame on their heads, and the Lord will reward you.” (07:59)
• Ally explains how responding to cruelty with love isn’t weakness but Christlike strength—and shares a recent story at a movie theater.
  • “I was fully in the wrong… and she was really snappy. I just apologized with love and her demeanor totally changed. This is what the love of Christ does to people.” (12:02–13:44)

Practical Example: A Movie Theater Confrontation

• Ally recounts how a stranger snapped at her for accidentally bumping a seat, but by responding with sincere apology and love (not matching aggression), she diffused the situation and ministered Christ’s love.
  • “It’s kind of an uno reverse… when you allow the Lord to just speak love through us and use us as a vessel, there is no more fight there.” (13:28)
  • “The Lord will reward you. I mean, that’s not why I did it… But the reward is, there’s no fight, and the Lord is so proud of us in moments like that.” (14:15)

True Spiritual Maturity: Not Taking Offense

• Discussing how not to take unkindness personally.
  • “The superpower loophole is not looking at yourself, it’s looking at them and having compassion.” (16:31–16:37)
  • “Jesus doesn’t look at Himself ever. He doesn’t deserve a lot of things, and He never looks at Himself. I’m crying again.” (16:42–16:52)

On Filling Spiritual Hunger

• Key Verse: Proverbs 27:7
  • “A person who is full refuses honey. But even bitter food tastes sweet to the hungry.” (24:35)
• Ally interprets that spiritual fulfillment in Christ means not chasing unhealthy things to fill the void.
  • “If we are full spiritually, we don’t need anything else… but when we don’t have Jesus, we are desperate.” (25:02–26:26)

Responding to Evil and Maintaining Humility

• “The best loophole to not being hurt, not being offended, is literally not looking at yourself. Because if you know who you are, and the Lord knows who you are… that’s all that matters.” (18:56–19:06)
• On responding to insults: “The Lord defends us… We are supposed to be still and know that the Lord will fight for us.” (09:23–09:43)

The Value of Honest Criticism & Correction

• Key Verse: Proverbs 28:23
  • “In the end, people appreciate honest criticism far more than flattery.” (42:55–43:16)
• Ally emphasizes accepting godly correction as essential for growth.
  • “Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism will suddenly be destroyed beyond recovery.” (41:52–42:04)

Humility and Honor

• Key Verse: Proverbs 29:23
  • “Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honor.” (47:33)
• “It’s giving no matter what, we will be humbled. So it’s better to just be humble from the beginning.” (47:41)

4. Active Faith: Combining Trust and Action

• “It’s always good to have faith… but the Lord can only do so much with people who are not willing to do anything.” (40:45–40:58)
• The need to both trust God and take practical steps is reinforced through Proverbs and examples from daily living.

5. True Wealth & Discernment

• “A poor person with discernment can see right through [a rich person who thinks they are wise].” (37:24)
• Emphasizes value in spiritual richness over material status.

6. The Proverbs 31 Woman

• Reading Proverbs 31, discussing the characteristics of a virtuous woman: strength, dignity, wisdom, hard work, generosity, and fear of the Lord.
  • “She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she lacks without fear of the future.” (54:45)
  • “Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last. But a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” (55:03)

7. Takeaways & Challenges to Listeners

• Closing encouragement:
  • “Can we show someone how cool Jesus is? Let’s show someone the love of Jesus. Let’s show somebody maybe a few things we even learned today.” (55:42–55:57)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Nothing is too silly, nothing is too small, nothing is too inconvenient… even a house fly has to answer to the name of Jesus.” — Ally (04:01)
• “The Lord will reward you. I mean, that’s not why I did it… the reward, low key, is there’s no fight. And the Lord is so proud of us in moments like that.” — Ally (14:16)
• “The superpower loophole is not looking at yourself—it’s looking at them, and having compassion.” — Ashley (16:31)
• “If we are full spiritually, we don’t need anything else… But when we don’t have Jesus, we are desperate.” — Ally (25:02)
• “A person is tested by being praised.”—Ally, reflecting on Proverbs (29:21)
• “Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honor.” — Ally & Ashley (47:33)
• “Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last. But a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.” — Proverbs 31 (55:03)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:36] – Importance of Direct Bible Reading
• [04:01] – God Cares About the Small Things (the fly story)
• [07:59] – Proverbs 25:21–22, “Repaying Enemies With Kindness”
• [12:02] – Movie Theater Conflict: Living Out Proverbs in Everyday Life
• [16:31] – Not Taking Offense: The “Superpower Loophole”
• [24:35] – Proverbs 27:7: On Spiritual Fullness and Hunger
• [40:45] – Faith and Action: Hard Work vs. Wishful Thinking
• [42:55] – Honest Criticism vs. Flattery
• [47:33] – Humility vs. Pride
• [54:45] to [55:03] – Proverbs 31: The Virtuous Woman

Final Thoughts & Encouragement

In their signature friendly, open-hearted style, Ally and Ashley invite listeners to not only ingest Scripture but also embody it. They remind us that handling conflict and unkindness with Christlike love is both a discipline and a gift—one which God honors and uses to reach others. The essence of this episode is summed up in a challenge to “show someone the love of Jesus,” inspired by the ancient wisdom of Proverbs and the everyday faithfulness of walking with Christ.

For those who missed the episode:
This conversation is a practical, honest deep-dive into living out Proverbs in day-to-day situations. It’s uplifting, vulnerable, and packed with wisdom for anyone seeking to respond to life’s obstacles with grace, humility, and the confidence that “vengeance is the Lord’s.”