Hebrews 10:24
“And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,”
There are several “one another’s” of the New Testament. If you include the “each other”s there are about 54. Some of them are: bear with …, love …, honor …. above yourself, serve …., submit to …, do not slander …, and on and on. While God wants us to be strong and independant, we have certain obligations towards each other. Today’s passage is an interesting one. God wants us to help motivate each other to do good things.
One way to do this is to operate in our skill set and speak about it. When we do what we’re good at, we are successful. It took years to come to grips with it, but listening is one of my talents. Not that I didn’t know I had it, I just wanted better talents. The listener doesn’t get the “most likely to succeed” or “The best personality” award. What helped me embrace it is that I’ve learned I don’t like to be at the center of attention, which is what the extroverted talents get. Anyways, when I share incidents about how I have been able to encourage others through my conversations, it’s motivating.
Is this bragging? It could be. If we are truth telling and doing it with pure motives, no. If we are doing it to promote ourselves, yes. We would be disobedient, if we didn’t share. This is part of false humility.
Another way to stimulate others to love and good deeds is to point out when others do well. Sometimes they already know it, but like to hear it. Other times, they might not be aware.
Lastly, it says we are to “consider how to stimulate”. We are to spend time thinking about this. Not just when it comes to mind, but think and pray about how we can encourage each other. Our self centered society doesn’t lead to this. We do well when we teach our kids to be kind and respectful. It’s a whole new level, if they can think about how to encourage their peers.
Lord, help us to be better at this. Help us to consider how to stimulate to love and good deeds.