Zeal and Haste

 There are some qualities that we admire when we meet people with those qualities. Zeal is a definite plus most of the time. When we have a passion for what we do, it leads us to do it to the best of our ability. It leads us to be creative and energetic, so that we accomplish even more than we would normally. Zeal is the opposite of being lazy, and we know the Lord commands us not to be lazy. Also, being able to do things in haste can be good. It is good to be productive, and when we are able to do things quickly, we can be more productive. Therefore, haste can be a desirable quality, too. However, both of these character traits can lead us in the wrong way, too. We find a very important principle for each of them in Solomon's proverbs. (Proverbs 19:2) Even zeal is not good without knowledge, and the one who acts hastily sins. I think this is a great reminder for most of us.

We can be zealous for the wrong thing or in the wrong way. If we allow this to happen, we can cause more harm than good. It is not enough to be very excited and driven to accomplish something. We have to combine that zeal with knowledge, so that we are doing the right thing in the right way. In fact, I would say that some of the most zealous people have been some of the most evil people in history. Just think of Adolph Hitler and his determination to exterminate the Jews. He acted with zeal, but his knowledge was very wrong, so he did much harm. Haste can be very bad, too, when we act hastily without considering fully what we are about to do and what we are going to accomplish. Many times, I have acted in haste, and I have ended up buying the wrong product or breaking something I was trying to fix. It doesn't help to do something fast, if we sin in what we do. The two go together many times. Therefore, I pray we will be very careful about our zeal and our haste, so that we act in knowledge, and we do not rush into a sin.

#NHBaptistdotorg

Tomorrow, I intend to read Proverbs 20-22.