Love and Good Deeds

And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching. – Hebrews 10:24-25 (NRSV)

What are some good ways to provoke love and good deeds? Have you provoked such things in others? Have others provoked such things in you? How? Why is it good to meet together? Why do we need to encourage one another?

Yesterday at Bible study a couple came up to me before we started to share with me wonderful news, she is pregnant. As always happens when people share with me their great news I smiled hugely and couldn’t wait to tell everyone else. If I am asked not to tell people things I don’t, but joyous news is hard for me to keep in. I asked if I could share their wonderful news and they gave me the okay.
We went through all of the Bible study and had our prayer requests afterward. For the final prayer request I asked that everyone keep the couple in their prayers because, “They are pregnant!”
The best part about sharing good news in front of a group of people is watching everyone’s faces. In an instant I witnessed the crowd in front of me transformed into joy, as everyone turned to the couple to celebrate and rejoice with them. And for a moment I saw a slice of the kingdom of God and I couldn’t be happier.

Meeting together will inevitably provoke love and good deeds! We were not made to be alone, but made to live together. As we grow together we will always find more people to love, and more people who love us. In our world it is hard to make it through some days. If we lack encouragement it is a good time to make it back to a church home where we can discover we are not going through things alone. I pray that if you are reading this a cloud of love and good deeds surrounds you. If not my prayer is that soon such wonderful things will surround you. There is a church out there waiting for you!

With hope and joy,
Garrett

Encouragement!

When you talk, do not say harmful things, but say what people need—words that will help others become stronger. Then what you say will do good to those who listen to you. – Ephesians 4:29 (NCV)

 

Do you say things that are good for those who listen to you?  How can words make others become stronger?  Who have you hurt with harmful words?  What do people need to hear?  What will you say to spread peace and joy around you today?

 

The following story is by an unknown author found at: http://www.wow4u.com/hospitalwindow/index.html

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.

Every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed began to live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.

The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.

As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.

One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man couldn't hear the band - he could see it. In his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.

Days and weeks passed.

One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.

As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.

Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed.

It faced a blank wall. The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window.

The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."

 

We all need encouragement!  Words can hurt us, and words can make us feel great.  Christ often said the thing that gave people strength to keep on going.  Be his disciple and encourage others, so others may say of you, “he/she just wanted to encourage all.”

With hope and joy,

Garrett