Loving Provocation

We more often hear about provoking someone to anger than to love, but it’s an intriguing idea. Who has provoked you to love or to do a good deed? How did that happen?

Who have you provoked to love or do a good deed? How did you do that? Were you conscious of what was happening, or did it happen accidentally? (God-given “accidents”?)

God calls us into community to love, encourage and serve one another. When we are affirmed or encouraged in something, we are inclined to try it again, not just for the affirmation, but because it feels really good to give, and because we can see such positive results. Our actions can provoke another to act in a similar way. For example, my friends’ gracious and generous hospitality has provoked me to more gracious and generous acts of hospitality. What a gift they gave me!

Extravagantly generous God, send your Holy Spirit to inspire us and provoke us to love one another as you love us, to share all that love with others, and to encourage others to be graciously generous in your name. Amen. — SB