Lead with Zeal - Romans 12

 Romans 12:6-8 (ESV)

6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

Lead with Zeal

In the above passage we read what Paul was telling the church at Rome about spiritual gifts.   He starts out chapter 12 by telling them to “present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”  That is both the “what” (present yourself) and the “why” (your spiritual worship) we all talk about in leadership.  You have to tell them the “why” so they know the reason for the “what.”   But, you also have to tell them the “how.”  The “how” is the above verses.   Paul wants them to know that God has called them to a high purpose for a high reason and has equipped them for that purpose.  God never calls us to do something He has not, or will not, fully fund (there is a lesson for leadership).   A key principle in this entire section is that God has given us gifts (tools) to accomplish the task, based upon the “measure” of our faith.  Note:

Romans 12:3 (ESV)

3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

Even the first gift mentioned, prophecy, is done based upon the proportion of faith the individual has to prophecy.  We use our gifts in direct proportion to our faith. 

All this leads to something we discover about leadership in these verses.  Paul instructs them to use their gift in a certain manner.  When he mentions lead, he states to lead with “zeal.”  The word “lead” here, in the Greek, means simple to “stand up in front.”   The choice of that word gives us Paul’s definition of leadership.   But, notice “how” they are to stand up in front: With zeal.   The word means to lead with “earnestness.”   When God calls us to lead, He supplies the faith we need to lead.  That faith allows us to lead with “zeal.”  The way this passage is written tells us that the zeal flows from the gift God gives.   If you read all the other gifts listed, we see that they are to be used based upon the way God provides the gift.  Giving with generosity.  We don’t give to produce generosity.  It is because we are generous that we give.   The gift is being generous.  We don’t exhort to produce exhortation.  We have exhortation, therefore we exhort.   The gift is to be able to exhort.   So, too, with those who lead.  They don’t lead to produce zeal.  They have zeal (for God, for His work, for His plans) and therefore they lead.   We always talk about having “energy” to lead.  Many (especially these days during a world-wide pandemic) can lose their zeal.  But, if we are approaching leadership by faith, we are asking God to provide the zeal to lead.   Zeal is not the finished product.  Zeal is the fuel to produce the product.   God is the source of it and faith is the hose we use to connect to the source.   If we lose our zeal for leadership we should first see what promises of God we are failing to believe.   Believing in His promises produces faith.  Faith is not blind.  It is taking God at His word. It is putting complete trust in what He says He will do.   

Joshua was asked to lead 1.5 million rebellious people into the promise land.  God gave him a why, a what, and a how to encourage him and give him zeal to lead.  Joshua simply took God at His word and that produced zeal and a powerful leadership style.  We would do well to follow that promise ourselves:

Joshua 1:8-9 (ESV)

8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”