“Now while Ezra was praying…confessing, weeping, and bowing down before…God, a very large assembly of men, women, and children gathered to him from Israel; for the people wept very bitterly.” ~ Ezra 10:1
Fire is often used to describe zeal because of its consuming and contagious nature. Solomon said, “Fire never says, ‘Enough!’” (Proverbs 30:16). When fire starts with a flammable material, it moves from it to another, and another, until it is either quenched or there is no more flammable material to kindle or ‘infect.’ This is true of zeal; it consumes and is transmittable.
Zeal speaks of intensity, fervor, passion, enthusiasm, fire, and eagerness. Zealous people are consumed by what they do, as though a fire is burning within them. They do it with passion, relish, and excitement. The visible excitement and passion of a zealous person attracts us to them. We like musicians or footballers who exercise their craft with style and joy.
Ezra, the leader of the Jewish people in captivity, demonstrated the attractive power of zeal. He decided to pray, confess sins, weep, and bow down before God amidst the sin of the people. He did not begin by calling the people to repent of their sins. No. His brokenness over their collective sin stirred up a fire in him, and he went before God in repentance.
Without inviting anyone, the people saw the genuineness of Ezra’s love for God. They came from different homes and gathered to follow suit in his devotion and repentance. They saw his personal devotion, zeal, commitment, and sincerity, and they took a cue. That is infectious zeal; people cannot see it and not act according to it. It worked for Ezra.
As a leader at any level (home, office, church, or task), the best way to get the compliance and followership of the people is through infectious zeal. Let your children see you loving God, and they will follow. Let your team see your passion for doing an excellent job, and they will do the same. If your online followers of fans see how devoted you are to your craft, blog, message, etc., it will draw and keep them. Anything you do with zeal will grow and pull others in. Go for it!
PHOTO QUOTE
ADDITIONAL TEXTS:
Colossians 3:23, Hebrews 13:7, and John 2:13-17
PRAYER:
+ Lord, cure me of my lethargy and apathy regarding my relationships with You, my spouse, children, family, and teammates.
+ Rekindle my fire of devotion and commitment for all You have committed to me.
+ Lord, in any way, I feel unexcited about my work or daily routine, rekindle the excitement I once felt about it, in Jesus’ name
