Posted on Jan 18, 2013

Why Zealous Couples are Fearless

The original version of this was posted on Leadership Couples.

Zealousness has been around a long time.

The Bible makes reference to one of the 12 Apostles as being zealous – Simon the Zealot [Luke 6:15]. This not only helped distinguish him from Simon Peter, he was obviously zealous about his faith.

Unfortunately, when someone is referred today as being zealous it is usually meant in a negative way. It means they are being TOO passionate, bordering on fanaticism.

Yet, consider the many men and women who are celebrated today for accomplishing something great, for being willing to stand up against the crowd, for fighting for what they believed. They generally ran the edge of being fanatical.

In many instances, such individuals were only acknowledged and honored posthumously.

Zealous Examples

A look back in history reveals many individuals – and couples – who are now honored for what they accomplished and the difference they made that affects us still today.

Mother Teresa was zealous about helping the poor, sick, orphaned, and dying.
Terry Fox was zealous about raising awareness for cancer research.
Martin Luther King Jr. was zealous about equality and civil rights.
Charles & Susannah Spurgeon worked with zeal to preach the Gospel of Christ and provide resources to other ministers.
Joseph and Agnes Lister worked with zeal to change medicine, and the minds of British doctors on how to conduct surgical procedures.
Dr. David and Mary Livingston worked with zeal spreading the Gospel of Christ in Africa while exploring unchartered territory.
Today, many Christian ministers are zealous about spreading the Gospel of Christ (I wish it was all of them). This may be why the value of zeal is often equated with religion. However, it can undoubtedly be embraced by anyone with a passion.

The Value of Zeal

As a differentiating value, Zeal has three parts: excessive fervor; strong eagerness; and readiness.

The first part of this value clearly refers to intense passion or emotion. This is what most people associate with zeal.

The second part – eagerness – deals with a combination of anticipation and focus. It’s like the night before Christmas for a child, or the teenager sitting behind the wheel of the car ready to drive alone for the first time, or when an entrepreneur is preparing to sell their start-up company for millions.

The third part deals with being “always on.”

A sense of readiness means one is so clear about their purpose that they don’t need a prepared script. They don’t need to rehearse. Their mission is so alive in them they are talking it about it all the time.

In fact, they can’t wait for someone to ask them: ‘What are you doing now?” Even if they were awakened at 3 o’clock in the morning they’d be ready to respond. When possessed with zeal, there is no ‘off switch.’

From Zealous to Fearless

A Leadership Couple working together as a team, in a cause greater than themselves, can often be viewed as zealous. Their passion, focus, and readiness are evident to everyone who surrounds them.

Yes, at times they might even be viewed as fanatics. But it’s also what creates the environment of fearlessness.

A zealous couple can appear fearless when they:

Embrace the power of passion to achieve the impossible.
Encourage intense trust and loyalty with others.
Willingly go where no couple has gone before.
Conquer all barriers with the treasure of hope.
Acknowledge their dependence on God, and each other.

So, watch out! When a Leadership Couple becomes fearless, it is only a matter of time before they advance their God-given purpose, and leave a lasting legacy.