Provoke, Spur On and Stir Up

      Hebrews 10:24 says, “Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds.” I do not know how many times I have read this verse. This week, however, I learned something completely new about it.

      What caught my eye about this exhortation in the different translations is how negative sounding the words used are. How often do we speak of provoking (KJV) each other in a positive light? Spurring on (NIV) may sometimes be used positively, but I am not sure I like the idea of being kicked in the flank with a sharp metal object. Finally, when we speak of stirring up (NKJV), don’t we usually mean somebody has stirred up trouble?

      Pushing this even further, I tried to look behind the scenes and examine the original language. The picture does not get any better there. The only other time in scripture the same root word is used is in Acts 15:39. There it describes the sharp contention that divided Paul and Barnabas.

      Hebrews 10:24 still stands saying, “Let us consider how to stimulate (stir up, provoke, spur on) one another to love and good deeds.”

      Regrettably, we often allow Hebrews 10:25 to limit the scope of the verse we are examining. We too often rely on the preaching when we assemble to stimulate and then act as though our mere presence was part of that work. At the same time, amazingly enough, though we often rely completely on the public teaching to provoke Christians, when it actually accomplishes that goal, brethren kick and scream that the preaching is too hard and steps on too many toes. That, however, is a discussion for another article. 

      The words used in this verse demonstrate activity not passivity. Each Christian is to be involved in stirring up the pot in other Christians’ lives. We are supposed to be jabbing one another in the flank to get each other to progress down the line of spiritual maturity. We are supposed to provoke one another. The picture I see is confrontational, an almost in-our-face challenge to get right and grow up.

      Yet most Christians today do not interact with each other in this way. Most of the time, we act as though we should not get in each others’ business. The fact is, if you see me mistreating my wife, you need to jab me and provoke me to go the right direction. Further, you are supposed to just stir up the pot, challenging me to examine my life and see if I really am doing what I should. Whoever said we Christians have a right to private lives? We should be challenging each other, calling each other on the carpet and holding each other to the fire that we may all grow in love and good deeds. Who is doing that for you? For whom are you doing that? Let’s provoke, stimulate, stir up and spur on one another to love and good works.

Edwin L. Crozier