Encouragement Study: Edition #22

Romans 11:11-16

Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring!

I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.

Arouse (verb):

• To stir to action or strong response; excite.
• To stimulate sexually.
• To awaken; wake up.
• To awaken from or as if from sleep.

Paul wanted to arouse the Jews, to stir them to action... maybe get them worked up in anger so that he could save some of them. What does this have to do with encouragement? Everything. Encouragement is a feeling from someone's actions. To encrouage someone is to try to get a response from that person. Am I trying to get someone to an excited state? Am I trying to wake up someone in a figurative sense?

Do you know what? I am willing that Paul's actions, to anger and get the Jews to an envious state worked on some of the Jews. I'm not saying that we should go out and try to tick off a whole bunch of people, but I am saying that maybe others should become angery at our righteousness... just a thought. Johnny Out.