Wednesday September 4, 2024
Provoke, Stimulate, Stir and Spur
By Jenny Pfister
Gratefully, God has not set us down here as individuals who must go it alone and simply always be self-starters and self-motivators. Rather, He has put us together. We are to stimulate one another. That is, we rouse and incite each other to action. “Stimulate” is the word used by the New American Standard translators. Some of the other translations are very interesting.
The King James Version says to “provoke” one another to love and good works. Most of the time, when we speak of provoking someone we mean we have made them angry. Here we are to provoke one another to love and good deeds.
The English Standard Version and the New King James say to “stir up” one another. Most of the time, when we say somebody stirred up something we mean they caused some trouble. Here, we are supposed to stir up love and good deeds.
The New International Version says to “spur on” one another. This phrase may not often be used in a negative context. However, have you thought about what it means to be spurred on? We spur on a horse by jabbing it in the flank with a sharp object.
The Greek term translated here is also interesting. The only other time the root word is used in scripture is Acts 15:39 in which Paul and Barnabas had a sharp disagreement. The word used in Hebrews 10:24 is translated “sharp disagreement” in Acts 15:39.
Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark. But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work. Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus; but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God. (Acts 15:37-40 NKJV)
Consider the words “stimulate,” “provoke,” and “stir up” for a minute. These words normally have the connotation of irritation or exasperation. They are words better associated with a negative event or circumstance. The use here, then, is even more striking in terms of functionality. The use of these words is as if we were to verbally abuse someone to motivate them. The verbiage is vibrant and abrasive. This is probably the most poignant part of the text – that we might take extreme measures to motivate other believers into loving one another and doing good works. These measures may mean we are downright blunt at times.
In Hebrews 10:24, we see a picture of Christians actively making sure other Christians are growing in love and good deeds. We see a picture of Christians getting actively involved in each other’s’ lives, challenging one another, stirring things up in each other’s’ lives, jabbing one another in the flank with sharp objects to push them down the path of righteousness. It is almost as if the Hebrew writer says we ought to be getting in each other’s faces’ and saying, “Look here, I am not going to let you be a loser Christian. Buck up, get up and start loving and growing in good deeds.”
Now a natural problem with good deeds is burn-out. The path of good deeds is narrow and difficult. Many times we love those who will not return our love. Often we cannot see the results of our good deeds for a long time. No wonder Paul exhorted us to “not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (Gal.6:9)
Before we just get in others’ faces, we need to consider how to stimulate one another. Fulfilling this passage will not take place on the spur of the moment. We need to give consideration to one another. That is, we must pay careful attention to the spiritual needs of those around us. Based on that careful consideration, we determine what is most needed to help our brethren. Literally this is God’s call on us to consider one another, that is, to look at one another, think about one another, focus on one another, study one another, let your mind be occupied with one another. And the goal of this focus on others is to think of ways of stimulating them to love and good deeds.
The Hebrew writer provides one avenue through which we can stimulate one another. In Hebrews 10:25, he says we need to maintain the habit of assembling together. However, that is only one way. While we could brainstorm many specifics, we will note the threefold approach given in Titus 2:13-15 to spur others on to be zealous for good works in Jesus Christ. (See WORD WISDOM for a deeper study of zealous.) Paul told Titus that he should be:
Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you. (Titus 2:13-15 NKJV)
Speak—Sometimes, to stimulate one another, we need to simply open our Bibles and teach one another what is found within them.
Reprove—Sometimes, to stimulate one another, we need to reprove and rebuke one another, exposing error and challenging each other to repent.
Exhort—Sometimes, to stimulate one another we need to encourage one another. This is perhaps the most overlooked approach to stimulate one another to love and good deeds. We need to catch one another doing things right.
And as you see the end of the age drawing near (and that day is growing closer and closer), the writer of Hebrews says, do this all the more, not less. Why? As Jesus said,
Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved. (Matt.24:12-13 NASB1995)
Remember…the spur is for the purpose of guiding a horse, not forcing it to perform. A rider may apply spurs to let a horse know it should increase its speed. Spurs are intended for use only when a horse fails to respond to leg pressure cues. When this happens, riders use spurs combined with leg pressure to reinforce cues. That’s really our job…to “spur” each other on when we miss a cue from the Lord.