Zealously Affected

They zealously affect you, but not well… But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing. —Galatians 4:17-18

In our text, Paul is admonishing the Galatians about the effect the legalistic Judaizers were having on them.  It was not good.

There is nothing wrong with being zealous as long as the cause is good. The problem is being zealous about something that really doesn’t matter.  Too many people are zealous over things that amount to nothing.  For example, professional football—Here in Seattle, Seahawks fans paint their faces green and blue, wear green wigs, act crazy, pay hundreds of dollars for a ticket, and scream their lungs out at the game. And what for?  For a team of players who make millions of dollars that are not even from Seattle!  Who cares about who won the Superbowl in 2004?  (If you do know, it just proves you are paying more attention to something that you shouldn’t.)

To be honest, when I see the “devotion” of some football fans, I am convicted that they are more zealous for their team than I am for God’s team—the local church. Shame on me!

“But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing.”  If you’re going to be zealous, be zealous about Jesus Christ!  THAT IS GOOD! It is good when someone gets you stirred up about reading and studying the Bible… prayer… serving Jesus Christ at church… giving to the Lord’s work… going soul winning.  At least these things will have eternal rewards, not some perishable crown (1 Cor. 9:25).

How zealous are you for Jesus?  Does it show?