Let Us: Consider

Let Us Consider

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.”

The Greek word for “consider” here is the word katanoeō which means to perceive or understand something. The writer of Hebrews wants his audience to really understand how we can encourage one another towards love and good works, serving one another. The word for “spur” here means to provoke or incite. We need to understand how we can spark one another towards acts of servitude and to take on the attitude of a servant. The writer has a few suggestions. 

His main suggestion for keeping everyone on the servant track is to continue to meet together. Continuing fellowship draws us closer to other believers and eventually to God. Especially in the ancient world, there was no other way to provoke someone unless you were with them. Other than writing letters, being present with someone was the only way. Since we are to encourage one another and not provoke evil, we must still meet together. Today’s technology kind of crowds this thinking because we think if we text or message someone or video call them that is the same. It is entirely not. Physical presence makes a difference in human nature and the apostles knew it. Some groups of believers had stopped meeting together and they were no doubt falling apart. 

Through trial and victory, fellowship is the key to encouragement because as the writer says, the Day is Coming. What day is that? The day of judgment. The day Jesus comes back. The day God makes everything new and right. So let’s be meeting together and encouraging one another to love and serve one each other. We need to pray long and hard about how to do this, this is part of the “considering”. When we pray for a servant’s heart, we receive it and we need to live that out to encourage one another.