Ladies Bible Class: Provoking One Another to Love and Good Deeds

Painting: Stepping Stones by Thomas Brooks (British 1818-1892)

Hello Ladies,

I'm trying to get some things completed in the house to make time for another "Listen as you work" video, and I wanted to first post something about one of the ladies classes we had. As you know we meet each Thursday and this has been going on for many years before I was here. The ladies like to read a chapter and then make observations about it and it is always so interesting.

We were reading Hebrews 10, and lighted upon verse 24. Of course we take it in context of the surrounding sentences, but several of the ladies commented on this particular statement:

"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,"

Aside from knowing this means to encourage one another to assemble together and not be neglectful of worship, the discussion was on how to provoke one another to love and good works.

Provoke, in the original Greek, means to stir up, to motivate, stimulate and encourage.

Although we in the English world often associate "provoking" with something unpleasant, the word "provoke" is a verb and can be used for either good or bad.  In several verses it is used in the negative, but this passage urges Christians to motivate one another to love and good works.

Someone brought up the concept of "out-doing" one another in love. I like that there can be competitiveness in showing love. In a family, this is so important to the children, as they learn to love one another and put members of the family first, over other people.

Several of the ladies had some very good ideas to present, on how to do this!

What are your thoughts? How would you go about provoking (stir up. motivate)? Remember, it is an action word, a verb. 

I like the painting, above and have looked at some of the other paintings of Thomas Brooks, such as this one:

One day if I can get the time, I would like to make a book of some of the 18th and 19th century paintings.  In Home school, we would look at the painting and tell what we thought was going on, or "the story" in the painting. Then we would try to imitate the painting in some way.