Person-2-Person - January, 2023

“Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.” – Mother Teresa

A few weeks ago, I jokingly accused my friend, Mary, of provoking people. This prompted a Facebook discussion in which she acknowledged the occasional need for “hard conversations.” She pointed out that while we’re a “reconciling congregation” that doesn’t mean we can’t or don’t disagree. “How can we reconcile all the different feelings our congregation has . . . ?” she wanted to know. I don’t have any better advice than this: At the passing of his friend, George Whitefield, with whom he frequently disagreed, John Wesley wrote, “. . . we may think and let think; we may ‘agree to disagree.’ But, meantime, let us hold fast the essentials . . .”

I told my friend that provoking others wasn’t necessarily something negative, and that “John the Baptist provoked people, Jesus provoked people. Paul, Martin Luther, John Wesley . . . If we’re living for God, we’re going to rub someone the wrong way at some point. Jesus provoked king Herod by being born (Matt. 2:1-18).”

And my wife, Charlotte, wrote, “Sometimes we can’t, or at least when we think we should reconcile those contradictions. We may have to learn to sit with them, hold them in our hearts & minds. This is not say to forget them but to stay aware of the tension & work on a way to reconciliation. This may include provocation...” Wesley couldn’t have said it better.

Hebrews 10:24 says, “And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds,” (New Revised Standard Version). Various other translations say “spur” one another, “motivate,” “stir up,” “encourage,” “stimulate,” “help,” or “rouse,” but well, we’re talking about “provoking” so why not? The actual Greek word is “paroxusmon,” from the root “paroxunó,” which means to stimulate or provoke, so I think I’m okay.

John Wesley, who founded the movement that became Methodism, provoked some authorities by opposing the Calvinist leaders of his day. He especially rejected the doctrine of “predestination.” In simplified form, it said that some people (the elect), were chosen by God from before creation to be saved and everyone else (the reprobate) could not be saved and was sentenced to “eternal death.” Instead, Wesley believed anyone who was willing to believe and repent could be “saved” by God’s grace. His belief especially put him at odds with George Whitefield, but, as I mentioned, they remained friends, reconciling the tension as Charlotte mentioned.

Jesus was no stranger to tension. One day, he encountered some people who were carrying a paralyzed man on a stretcher (Matt. 9:2a). He told the man, “‘Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.’” (vs. 2b NRSV). Some of the scribes thought he had committed blasphemy (vs. 3b). But he knew and asked them, “‘Why do you think evil in your hearts?’” (vs. 4b NRSV). He went on to claim the authority to forgive sins (vs. 6). And he gave his disciples the same authority (John 20:23). He encouraged the one who needed it and challenged the ones who were sure of their righteousness. And if we are his disciples, we have the same authority and responsibility.

In the same way, we’re called to both encourage and exhort others, both within our faith community and beyond its doors. Paul told the Galatians to “. . . restore [each other] in a spirit of gentleness. . . .” (Gal. 6:1b NRSV) and to “Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (vs. 2 NRSV). We’re called to both challenge and encourage, to prod (gently) and to comfort. So not only is it okay to provoke, it’s also part of what we should be doing.

And we aren’t called to merely provoke each other but to provoke others. The same thing applies to those outside the church. Paul wrote to his young friend, Timothy, “I solemnly urge you: proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching.” (2 Tim. 4:1b-2 NRSV). If we believe we have something to offer, we should be prepared to gently “convince, rebuke, and encourage,” at every opportunity.

“Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, . . . encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Heb. 10:23-24, 25b NRSV.)