spurs and encouragement

I’m challenged this morning about how I use my words. 

I talk, a lot. I don’t always want to, but it’s part of my job, and important to my relationships. Sometimes I talk more than I should, sometimes I don’t speak up when I should, but overall I talk as much as anyone.

And what do I do when I talk? Well, I coach and teach. I communicate requirements. I ask questions so I can learn and understand. I share my experiences. I explore new ideas, and interact to form opinions. So far, nothing much wrong.

But as I do it, I often use sarcasm. I’m not above the occasional pointed barb. In keeping with the spirit of our current culture, I sometimes pander to the general admiration of snarky putdowns. And sometimes, I share too much about what I don’t like, and drag people into gripe sessions that serve only to exaggerate the actual problem.

Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another —and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

How much of what I say encourages love and good deeds? I don’t think sarcasm, snark and rants are effective ways to do that. Certainly anything I say that encourages us to look at someone else as “them” is the opposite of encouraging love.

There’s a way to improve my engagement in love and good deeds, a way to reduce the meanness that creeps in all too often. It’s in this passage too, advice not to give up meeting together. You see, there’s a place where we’re all encouraged: God’s church. Love and good deeds is the church’s thing because it’s what God wants.

So churchgoers do more than just encourage each other; we spur each other on. Spurs are used to goad horses, so it’s not a metaphor that really speaks to most of us. It’s more like we’re all running partners, right there side by side, putting in the effort, not wanting to be the one who drops out, slowing to allow each other to keep up, pulling each other along with our support. Spurring each other on, not to finish a run, but to show love and good deeds.

Extending that metaphor, I fear too often I incent people to drop out. It’s not what I want, so I guess it’s time to be sure I show up at church.