Z is for Zealous

Jewish Zealots

I think the word zealot has often been given a bad rap. It is an old word, used to describe an ancient Jewish religious group that had resisted Rome until A.D. 70. But today people use it to describe a fanatic. In general, the world we live in takes things to the extremes.

 



According to Merriam Webster a zealot is: "a person who has very strong feelings about something (such as religion or politics) and who wants other people to have those feelings : a zealous person".

 

Honestly, who doesn't want others to think like them. We all seek out like-thinking people. We all try to share our points of view with others, hoping others will be convinced that we are right. Anything else is wishy-washy.

 

But a large portion of the world population is fearful of the opinions of others, scared of being ostracized. And out of fear, they try not to form opinions at all until the majority has ruled on an 'accepted truth' (This is different than standing by real truth, by the way - either scientifically discovered truth or revealed truth from God. Real science is not made through a popularity poll. And truth from God comes through revelation and not general popular consensus).



how many feel



Of course, many of us prefer to avoid an argument.

 

But to change where you stand based off of a popular opinion poll is really silly. 

 

Zealous people, to be honest, are a little frightening. Yet as most people go with the flow, zealous people enthusiastically go where they want to go. It is when they try to steer the flow that people really freak out.

 

a zealot forcing his agenda

In other words: it isn't really even the zeal in which people share their beliefs that bothers the world. I think the real issue isn't their enthusiastic desire, but the force some zealots use to further their agendas.







 

On both sides of the political spectrum, there are zealots. And they hate each other.

 

modern zealots

Take an extreme liberal and take an extreme conservative, put them in a room and they might kill each other - or become best friends out of their love for debate (I've seen both). And zealous people of faith can sometimes go too far.



 

 

 



So why am I calling it a virtue?????

 

courage to stand alone

Truth is, the enthusiasm and stick-to-it-iveness of being zealous is a virtue. It is the awesome virtue that helps people hang on to truth when the entire world is against you. It is the energy that brings excitement when you want to share the amazing good news with others. It is the happy energy that gives you strength to go on when everything around you can feel so oppressive.



But any virtue can be twisted into a vice. For example, Love can become Lust. Humility can become Humiliation. Youthful can become Childish. Self-control can become Control-freaky. Modest can become Self-deprecating. Just can become Unyielding. Forgiving can become Human-Doormat. And Patience, our first virtue covered, can become Inert/immobile. The point is, every virtue when applied to human society can be taken too far and misunderstood.

 

The zealousness I'd like to promote here is the strength and enthusiasm for truth. All true followers of a cause have this virtue.

 

And why is it a Godly virtue?

 

Because God himself is zealously giving His all to our future happiness...whether we understand that's what He's doing or not.

 

And though His commandments are not highly popular, or even enjoyed, He sticks to them. He is not the wishy-washy parent that gets pushed around by His kids. He is the example and shows what we must do - whether we like it or not. And further - though He has done his best to teach us the right and true way to real happiness... He allows us to choose for ourselves rather than using force. This is the best kind of zealot.

 

Z is for Zealous.