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Z IS FOR ZEAL
(Titus 2:14)

August 31, 2008

Do you remember the story of the Little Red Hen who lived in a barnyard with her three chicks, a duck, and a goose and a pig. One day, the Little Red Hen found some grains of wheat. “Look, look!” she clucked. “Who will help me plant this wheat?” “Not I,” quacked the duck, and he waddled away. “Not I,” honked the goose and he hurried away. “Not I,” oinked the pig, and he trotted away.

“Then I will plant it myself,” said the Little Red hen. And she did!

Later, at harvest time, the Little Red Hen cut the wheat. Then she had it milled into fine white flour. She took the flour and made dough for her bread. She baked her bread in an old wood stove.

With each thing she did, the Little Red Hen asked the duck, the goose and the pig if they would help. The duck would reply, “Not I.” the goose would reply, “Not I.” And the pig would also reply, “Not I.”

But, when the bread came out of the oven, the Little Red Hen asked, “Well, who will help me eat this warm, fresh bread?” “I will,” said the duck. “I will,” said the goose. “I will,” said the pig.

But it was too late. “No, you won’t,” said the Little Red Hen. “You wouldn’t help me plant the seeds, cut the wheat, go to the miller, make the dough, or bake the bread. Now my three chicks and I will eat this bread ourselves!” And they did!

The ending of the story about the Little Red Hen is a wonderful illustration of Jesus’ promise, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things . . .” (Matt. 25:21).

It also validates Paul when he said, “Whoever does not work should not eat.” (II Thess. 3:10b).

Paul said, “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord” (Rom. 12:11).

So, Christians are to have zeal. But, what does zeal mean? The Scriptural meaning of zeal is, enthusiasm and energy.

You see, it’s only those who are doing what God calls them to do, that are able to experience the joy of a job well done. Do we act? Do we work? Do we have zeal? An anonymous poem reads:

The Church is made up
of just two kinds of folks,
No matter how closely
you view it.
The ones who will talk about
what should be done,
And those who get busy
and do it.

Charles Burton said, “Success is due less to ability than to zeal. The winner is the one who gives himself to his work with interest and enthusiasm.

Arthur Morgan said, “The lack of something to be zealous about is the greatest tragedy a man may have.”

Paul is probably one of the best Biblical examples of zeal. He was tireless in his efforts and unending in his dedication. His language was that of a “productive workaholic”: Be “not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord” (Rom. 12:11);

“Forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church” (I Cor. 14:12);

Paul said, “Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men” (Col. 3:23);

“Be not weary in well doing” (II Thess. 3:13).

Now, Paul wasn’t just a missionary. He also worked at a secular job. As a tentmaker he earned his own living. He didn’t asking lay-people to do anything he wasn’t willing to do himself. Paul was motivated by concern, productivity and commitment.

How can we be like this?

I. FIRST, WE CAN BE CONCERNED.

Jesus emphasized concern over and over again. He ranked it at the top of the hierarchy of virtues. Remember how he criticized the rich man for having no concern for the beggar, Lazarus, who lay at his gate. Remember how he commended the Samaritan who had concern for the man who had been robbed.

Simple concern is so important. It moves us to helpful action. Many years ago a doctor was comfortably seated in front of his fireplace, enjoying his shelter from the pouring rain.

Suddenly he heard a knock at the door. Outside stood a distressed widow. “My boy, my Davy,” she cried, “he’s very sick? “Oh no,” he thought, “not on a night like this!”

He knew this visit would be financially unprofitable. The woman obviously couldn’t pay him. But the doctor loved children, and he had a strong sense of duty. So he went, and Davy’s life was saved.

That little sick boy recovered. His name was David Lloyd George. The doctor frequently looked back to that night in which he took that five mile walk in the drenching rain. “I never dreamed that in saving the life of that child, I was saving the life of the future Prime Minister of England!”

Yes, we never know how far our concern may reach.

II. NEXT, WE CAN BE PRODUCTIVE.

This requires effort. Some people don’t want to exert themselves. They just want to wait for a windfall. But that won’t happen. Baseball coach Branch Ricked said, “Whenever I hear of a successful person’s ‘big break,’ I look for the trail of sacrifices that led him to it. Luck almost always works that way . . . Every time I hear the word “lucky” applied to a successful person, I think of all the things he did that other men in his position wouldn’t do, and all of the years he had been doing them. When a truck needed to be driven, he drove it. When a blueprint needed to be delivered, he delivered it. When push comes to shove and the work went past midnight, he stayed until the job was finished. He always managed to be in the right place at the right time . . . People who achieve greatness all seem to have that kind of “luck.”

Furthermore, every little bit counts and each person makes a difference. The great inventor Thomas Edison used to take special pleasure in showing his guests around the grounds of his new Jersey home. One the way back to the house there was a fence with a narrow opening and a turnstile that his visitors had to pass through one at a time. “Why the turnstile?” people often asked. “Well, each time you pass through,” Edison would explain, “you pump eight gallons of water into a tank. We use that water for bathing and drinking. This seems trivial, but it shows that every one can do something.

We mustn’t overlook the natural energy that God has stored up in every human being. This energy is too often untapped. Being zealous is realizing the divine potential within us.

III. FINALLY, WE CAN BE COMMITTED.

This requires total dedication. A magazine advertisement featured a gorgeous blond in a bathing suit. She was being used to hype a leading school of modeling. Beneath the picture was a bold caption: “Be a model . . . or at least look like one.”

Wouldn’t it be strange if that same principle were applied to Christianity: “Be a Christian . . . or at least look like one.”

What if Jesus had really said things like, “Truly I say to you, if you don’t have a, ‘Honk if you’re a Christian’ bumper sticker on your car, you cannot be my disciple” (see Luke 14:27); or “Be careful to appear righteous before men, to be seen by them. If you act religious, you will have a reward from your father in heaven,” (see Matt. 6:1); or “Whoever wants to become great among you must always wear a pious smile and say, ‘God bless you’ ” (see Mark 10:43); or “I tell you the truth, unless you act like you’re born again, you cannot see the kingdom of God” (see John 3:3).

Of course Jesus didn’t say things like that. But, many people live as if that’s exactly what the Lord did say. We know all the rules of “religiosity”; we know what not to do, or at least what not to get caught doing. We speak “Chris-tianese” fluently and go through the outward motions of looking like what we think a Christian should look; but we disregard the hard, daily struggle of being a Christian.

Though some people might be fooled, God never is. It’s no good to praise God with our lips if we do not serve him with our hearts and bodies.

Just how zealous are you? Which disturbs you most? A hurting person, or a scratch on your new car? Missing a worship service, or missing a day’s work? Your church not growing, or your bank account not growing? Your Bible not read, or your newspaper not read? The church work being neglected, or your homework neglected? The millions who are hungry, or your inability to keep up with the neigh-bors? Which really disturbs you most?
We are called to be concerned, productive and committed. Do you care enough to ask God, “What can I do?” Do you love God enough to say, “Here am I; send me” (Isa. 6:8)?

There’s an old poem that expresses Christian zeal and commitment. It says:

I had gone ’till I
Just couldn’t go anymore;
All my hopes had been crushed.
Faith had walked out the door.

Then a friend saw my plight
And they cared for my soul.
I was lifted in prayer,
I was healed and made whole.

I just know there’s no way
I could ever be free,
Until someone in love,
Touched God for me!
—adapted by Maralene Wesner

Isn’t that a dynamite statement? Just to think that someone might care enough about us to reach out and touch God for us! But this is what Christianity is all about—lifting each other up with love.

Paul said, He “Gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:14).

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This issue of NEW PERSPECTIVES is from an unpublished manuscript © copyrighted 2008 by Miles and Maralene Wesner, Idabel, OK. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO USE THEM IN ANY WAY YOU THINK IS APPROPRIATE. The only thing we ask is that you give credit for original material in PUBLISHED works.

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Miles E Wesner