One Sunday a well-meaning church member made a comment to me that angered me to the very core. It also shook me to get up and get going. At the time, our church had an obvious ministry gap, and I was clearly gifted in the right way to step up and get it going. I knew what God was calling me to do, but it took the body of Christ stirring me up and walking beside me to get moving.
Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us watch out for one another to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.”
As the body of Christ, we’re supposed to stir each other up to love and good works. I love that Paul actually uses the word “provoke.” Being provoked isn’t the same as being gently encouraged or patted on the back, although there is time for that. In this instance in my life, I needed to be swift kick to get to work.
Provoking is done in love. It’s not godly provoking if someone is just being ugly, critical or trying to wound you. That’s not of God. In fact, Godly provoking involves someone who loves you deeply and wants to see you honor God with your gifts. Proverbs 27:6 says “The wounds of a friend are trustworthy, but the kisses of an enemy are excessive.” I can tell it’s the body of Christ when the person stirring me to action is also serving the body wholeheartedly from love.
Provoking is done TO love: I like how we aren’t just supposed to provoke each other to good works but also to love. I believe we often need provocation to love because we grow tired and complacent. It’s so easy to slip into mediocrity that we need to church to stir us up to love the lost world and each other. This kind of love then naturally leads to good works.
Here are 7 signs the church might be provoking you to love and good works:
- Some need is being unmet and it really irritates you or keeps you up at night
- You frequently complain that a job isn’t being done well.
- You’ve grown complacent in your love of the church.
- The body of Christ keeps calling out a particular skill set or gift in you that you’re not using
- You are restless. You can’t understand it, but you feel an uneasiness in your spirit that God has a job for you in the body of Christ.
- You currently don’t pour yourself out serving the body of Christ on a regular basis. If you left, the church wouldn’t really notice because you don’t contribute.
- You have a critical heart toward the church and leadership.
When someone provokes you to love and good works, it might sting for a second, but it’s always worth it. We need each other in the body of Christ. When we’re all working together in unity, it’s a picture of Jesus and the lost world takes notice. Let’s stir each other to love and action to the glory of Christ because the day of His return is drawing near.