Hebrews 10:24, 25  And let us consider one another in order 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. (CSB)

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I’ve had to go the long way several times in the last few days. I discovered I was in the wrong lane while driving down a street where construction barriers shifted the normal flow of traffic. My turn signal did not persuade the person following me to give me space to change lanes in front of him. Instead, Mr. Aggressive closed the space and hurtled me toward the lane-blocking barriers. 

I did not crash. Instead, I took a five-minute detour so Mr. Aggressive could feel powerful. 

This kind of thing happens more and more often. It makes it hard for me to live in alignment with my core value of Anticipating Kindness. Anticipating Kindness is not about what I expect from others but about what others can expect from me. I get to practice this every day on the highways and byways here in our local predicament. 

Some of my high school teachers enjoyed lecturing us about peer pressure. What they almost always said was related to the negative outcomes of peer influence. These verses shift the lanes so that we can consider possible positive outcomes. 

The author says, “let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works.” Love and good works stimulated by friends and groups make the world a better place. The New International Version (NIV) uses the phrase “spur one another on” instead of “provoke.” The New Living Translation (NLT) says, “Let us think of ways to motivate one another.”

The Message paraphrase says it like this:

Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, . . .”

Using our creativity to create a kinder, gentler world sounds good. Cultivating habits of mind and driving in alignment with positive peer pressure has merit. Helping one another stay in step with Jesus is best of all. Our personal transformation and sanctification bear results that overflow into the lives of others. 

Lectio 365’s daily devotional a few days ago called my attention to something I’m not sure I’ve considered completely until now. In one of those episodes where the disciples were caught in a storm on the sea and Jesus dreamed the night away, verse 36 says, “So they left the crowd and took him along since he was in the boat. And other boats were with him.”

When Jesus was awakened and calmed the storm, the disciples benefited from the kindness of Jesus, and so did the people in the other boats. 

My kindness in not forcing my way into the lane I needed to be in created several positive benefits. First, there was no collision. Second, there were no bad words spoken or horns honked. Third, I got to drive down a street I haven’t traversed in a while and think thoughts I haven’t considered in too long. Also, I got a good story to go with today’s text. 

• Whose life will your kindness enrich today? 
• What will the ripple effects be? 
• Who will smile because you defer and stay in step with Jesus?

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I will positively provoke as many people as possible.

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Our Father, use me as an instrument of your grace to positively provoke people toward the kinds of good deeds that help people see how good you are. Do this in me and through me even if it causes my own delays. Amen.