Love, good works, fellowship, and eschatology go together. They are like ingredients in a pot, and each of us has a spoon.

Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Hebrews 10:24-25)

The command is to consider, to think, to strategize. The strategy should include how we can get our spoon into the pot; elbow grease will probably be required. The goal of stirring is to get love and good works simmering, and the order is right. It’s not just certain behavior, but good stuff done from deep affections. This means we’re not looking for a hundred and fifty neighbor-tyrants, The Sanctimonious Sisterhood of Bossy Pants.

We stir the pot, and we belong in the pot, not neglecting to meet together. And we do it knowing that the Day is on its way. We are closer today than yesterday, and we want all of us to be ready.

One of the encouragements is eating and drinking together at the Lord’s supper. You can also target a word-blessing at a friend before or after the service. Your loud and glad singing gets heard by your church family, not just by God. Stir up each other, and be easily stirred up (to love and good works) by them.