Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

The definition of provocateur is a person who provokes trouble, causes dissension, or the like; agitator. That sounds like something to avoid not encourage.

Acts 24:5-6 (NIV) We have found this man to be a troublemaker, stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the Nazarene sect and even tried to desecrate the temple; so we seized him.

Acts 23:10 (NASB) And as a great dissension was developing, the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them and ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force, and bring him into the barracks.

Luke 23:5 And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place.

The greatest provocateur of all time was Jesus Christ. Yes, He stirred up trouble, but it was only the troubled heart that was stirred. How that troubled heart responded to Jesus was based upon that hearts role in society. If the heart was a victim, it wanted change, relief, saving. If that heart was authoritarian, controlling, manipulative, then Jesus was seen as a threat, an obstacle in need of removal.

Same man, same message, same method, but received two different ways because of the condition of the hearts of men. We are all in need of salvation but only those who accept that they need it will receive it.

In the opening verse the writer of Hebrews was speaking to those who believe and have received Jesus Christ and how we are to entreat one another. You cannot be provoked to love in a heart that does not already contain it. The intention is to stir up that love which abides in you, a believer, so that love might do what love does best.