Real Zeal

[315 words] What do you call an aquamarine aquatic mammal that expresses genuine enthusiasm for gelatinous foods? A teal seal that feels real zeal for congealed meals! (Go ahead and groan, if you must.) No, I didn’t write that joke, though those who know my sense of humor could easily see me coming up with it. But I do like it, and it is a great way to introduce the phrase “real zeal.” The word zeal, and its derivatives, are found a good bit in our English Bibles. Zeal is “great energy or enthusiasm for a cause or objective” (Oxford English Dictionary). Of course, there is good zeal and bad zeal. As Christians, we need to be concerned with “real zeal,” i.e. godly zeal. Let’s look at a few Bible passages to help us. Real godly zeal is based upon His word. “For I bear them witness that they have…