Rev. Richard Smith
Romans 12:11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor.
In a Sunday School class discussion a few days ago, as our group looked at some of the things going wrong in our world, someone commented that she simply could not stand to watch the daily news. We all resonate with that feeling.
My partial response was to remind the group – me included – that we followers of Jesus do not have the luxury of ignoring the worst of times; just as we rightly celebrate the best of times. At the same time, we also need to find a proper balance between real life awareness and self-care of our spirits. Allowing our souls to be mired in all that’s going wrong isn’t healthy.
When Paul writes about having “zeal” and “spiritual fervor” in life, he isn’t ignoring the harsh realities or immersing himself in a kind of naïve spiritual mindset. No, he’s reminding us that we people of religious faith have some principles and practices through which God’s empowers, guides, and sustains us.
Perhaps if you or I lived in Ukraine or the Gaza Strip or Israel, we would indeed find it hard to anchor ourselves on the side of zeal and positive fervor. And yet, there are people of deep faith in those geographical settings who do look to God, lean upon God, and find empowerment from God. Their zeal may not be exactly like our zeal, but we sell those believers short if we assume they find no strength, faith, and hope in life.
So, in daily life, amidst the ups and downs, what does it mean to live with zeal?
- To believe in the unrelenting good work of God;
- To seek out and affirm the extensive good human beings are doing;
- To believe that amidst our challenges God can and will provide spiritual and emotional support;
- To gladly acknowledge that we each can make a worthwhile contribution to life;
- To celebrate the daily joys and blessings which come our way;
- To acknowledge that we choose our overall disposition and that choosing joy makes sense;
- To commit, with God’s help, to being a resilient person of faith and hope.
Now, at the heart of living with zeal is a conviction to “keep our spiritual fervor”. God understands that there are times when we imperfect and fragile human beings will doubt and question. That’s just being human. But when we keep our spiritual practices steady, draw upon the available spiritual resources, lean into God’s presence and help, and appropriate the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, we are far more likely to live with zeal, joy, and hope!!
Truth is, we Western Christians have a lot to learn from our brothers and sisters in foreign places and in greatly challenging circumstances. We all too often assume, however innocently, that we here in North America or in, again, the Western world are the epitome of spiritually alive people. The more I listen, the more I read, the more I open myself to the witness of so many in other places, the more I’m properly challenged to capture a zeal and fervor which glorifies God and honors the Lord Jesus!
And, let us not forget that the Apostle Paul, author of these inspiring words, lived in a time of great challenge for the Christian community…a time of deep persecution within the Roman Empire. Paul himself ended up being martyred in Rome in 65 A.D. By then or shortly thereafter, all the Apostles were martyred. His faith, and their faith, was no rosy lens perspective. It was a faith, trust, and hope rising within the realities life can bring to us all.
