Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
"EGGED ON" BY THE SPIRIT
"Don't egg him on! Don't encourage him like that!"
My dad used to say that when we as kids encouraged one another to do something foolish or wrong. It's a failing we have as sinful human beings. We are more likely to encourage one another in what is harmful than in what is helpful. Deliberately pushing someone until they lose control in an outburst of temper is a classic example. Hebrews 10:24 urges us to do something quite different.
Rather than looking for occasions to criticize each other, let us look for opportunity to encourage. Instead of provoking to anger, let us provoke to love and acts of kindness.
Now if we are to consciously and deliberately spur one another on to doing good, then we ourselves need to be moved to consider what is a good and happy goal to be pursued. For this we need to turn to the word of God. In the Bible, through the message of God's grace and love in Christ, God's Spirit moves us to desire what is good in order to thank God for His goodness to us. In Jesus' Name we pray:
"O God, my faithful God, O Fountain ever flowing,
Who good and perfect gifts In mercy are bestowing,
Keep me from saying things That later need recalling:
Grant that no idle words May from my lips be falling.
But then, when in my place I must and ought to speak,
My words grant power and grace Lest I offend the weak."
(CW 459:1, 3)
