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Scripture Reading : Hebrews 10:24

And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works.

It is important in a successful Christian relationship to consider one another. We are so prone to think selfishly; to have no one else's interests at heart but our own. Let us not always think, "What do I get out of this?" But rather let us think, "In what way is this helping my fellow Christian? Is it building up the body of Christ in the ways of the Lord? Is it helping my brother or sister become more Christ-like?" Let us not be like children, who constantly look for the biggest piece, or the most attention for self. Let us study to see what trials, sorrows, and needs our brother or sister may have, and seek to help and uplift. We read of our Lord, "For even Christ did not please Himself" (Rom. 15:3). He always sought the interests of His Father and needy people around Him.

Help because of a need

Let us not look to see if the needy are worthy of our help. We can always find some reason for doing nothing for others. Often something in their past has brought on the difficulty. Perhaps the person in need was careless regarding their health and so brought on sickness; perhaps it was financial neglect that produced the need. Instead of looking at the failings of others, let us look at them in the light of what they are to Christ. Some brethren make the sad mistake of seeing only characteristics in others. All or us—all Christians have failings, but if one belongs to Jesus Christ there will also be some lovely things about them, if we just open our hearts. The Lord Jesus never asked about the worthiness of those He helped. Mary Magdalene had seven demons and certainly was not worthy, but He cast the demons out. Let our motive for giving a helping hand be based on just one thing: there is a need.

Provoke

We usually link the word "provoke" with ugliness of character. We think of a provoking person as one who always irritates, offends, and angers people. And there are such, even among Christians. Some talk as though wisdom will die with them, that no one knows anything but them or no one has the depth of understanding like them. They will not listen to others, but they can give advice on Biblical things, especially on how to run the affairs of the church. Some are always grumbling, growling, or criticizing. Every time they speak, you feel something within that rankles and rebels. You want to say "no" almost before they start to talk, and the quicker you can get away from them the better you like it. Only someone who thinks and acts the same way wants to be around a person like that, so, if you seem to have few friends, examine yourself and see if perhaps you are a provoking Christian in this unfavorable sense.

Provoke to love

While the word "provoke" is usually used in the unfavorable sense, it also has a favorable sense. It sometimes means "to stir to action," and this can be either in the favorable or unfavorable sense. Our verse means it for good. We should provoke our fellow Christians to love and good works. Hopefully, as Christians, each of us are provoking others in this way. May we, by acts of love, stir up other Christians to acts of love—by good works stir them up to doing good works.

Love and good works

In verse 22 of Hebrews 10 we have faith; in verse 23 hope; and in our verse 24 love. This is the famous triad of virtues that we find so often in the Word. "And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love" (1 Cor. 13:13). If we show a brother that we love him, it will be easy for him to love us in return. If we show him a kindness, it will be easy for him to do a good deed in return. Love is a great promoter of good. We will always show kindness to those we love. Out of love a father will slave from morning to night providing for his family. A mother will do the same. If Christians love each other they will do acts of kindness toward one another. Let us not be content until the world says, "My how these Christians love each other."

Good works

Some Christians are confused on the subject of good works. Some act like good works produce salvation¹. Others, in contending against this error, almost make good works something to shun. Some even belittle their value. The Scripture plainly states that good works do not produce salvation, but salvation produces good works. Read Ephesians 2:8-10 carefully and you will no doubt see the truth in this statement. Because a few may wrongly contend that good works are the road to heaven, still we do not set things right by belittling good works.

Belittle good works

To belittle good works is like belittling water because a friend was drowned in it: or belittling electricity because a relative was accidentally electrocuted. Water and electricity are extremely beneficial, but when put to the wrong use they can be extremely dangerous and do great damage. The whole world was once destroyed by water and it may be that electricity will have a part in the great judgment of fire to come. Far too many of us have forgotten that the fruit of faith should be a stream of good works. Surely we want to be like our Lord Jesus, "Who went about doing good" (Acts 10:38).

The effect of doing good

The attractive power of life is in action, not in words. The lost will not listen to what we say, if our actions do not agree. We may tell them all about the love of Christ, but if we manifest an opposite spirit, our words will fall on deaf ears. However, you will find that you can talk to them after you show them kindness. By experience, we will discover that those to whom we can not talk at first, we can talk to later, after showing them little acts of kindness. It is exactly the same with Christians. If you show them little deeds of kindness you will find them drawn to you, and also find them emulating you; doing kind deeds for you, and also for others.

Christians follow your example

It is natural for young Christians to follow the example set by those older. One young Christian remarked, "If brother so-and-so smokes, so can I?" If they see older Christians getting away with something they will want to get away with it, too. So make sure that your example is always good, never bad. If they see that you are in many ways more excellent than they, it will be natural for at least some to want to rise to your height. If we see someone more excellent than ourselves, let us seek to rise up to their level, not try to bring them down to ours.

You set an example

Let us not wait for others to show us kindness, before showing them kindness. Let us not wait for them to love us, before showing love to them. Let us be the starters in this matter. Do not wait for others to set an example for you; you set an example for them. You be a refreshing stream in the world and the church, and so provoke others to be likewise. Do not wait for them to be good to you; you do to them as you would like to have them do to you², and you may incite them to do the same. Remember, good deeds are likely to have an eternal benefit on the world. You show kindness to someone, and that person is likely to show kindness to someone else, and so you will have started a chain of good deeds that will reach to eternity. Your kindness may lead a soul to Christ, and so, too, start a chain of souls won to Christ. For this you will be blessed in time and rewarded in eternity.

Footnotes:

¹ For more information on salvation, see God’s Salvation in A Religion Library section of StudyJesus.com.

² See Matthew 7:12.