Food for Thought

Zeal without knowledge is a runaway horse.

What a statement!!! I never got to squeeze out all the juice on this one, but it's rather self-explanatory from the get-go. I will use a brief analogy, and I pray that scatter-brain doesn't end this eight or so topics away from the main aim.....haha!!

For a horse to serve his master correctly, he has to be bridled. This is for the purpose of guidance. Left to himself, the horse will probably head in the direction he feels will yield food. However, under the master's control, every step the horse takes serves a purpose, bringing both he and his master closer to a goal or desired destination. The bridle serves to control speed and direction, which gives both the master and the horse the most effective results for each stage of the journey.

The bridle feels burdensome, but it comes with perks. As long as the horse yields to the master's control through the bridle, it is guaranteed food. No good and wise master will work a horse and not keep him well-fed. Also, by it the master communicates his desires, based on the journey's purpose, the current terrain and the horse's feedback. In this way, the master will neither put the horse on a gallop on rocky ground, nor on a slippery slope.

Before this slips away, lemme try bring it home. Zeal, like a runaway horse, can be fueled by desire and emotion. Either one of these can change for the better or for worse, therefore directing the impact in a similar direction. Zeal without knowledge paves way for indiscipline. One such example would be a person who yearns to speak truths, but neither considers the audience no the timing of his speech. In such an instance, a truth with a potential to cause positive change in someone's life might evoke feelings of condemnation and guilt, both negatives.

Zeal without knowledge can also be annoying. Consider an aspiring drummer without a clue on how to use a drumset. Any band would be more willing to play without drums than to employ the services of such a person because any attempt they make at playing would result in noise. In this case, the zeal would cause more harm than good, and the resulting impression may be hard to shake off, even after the knowledge is acquired.

All in all, I want to live a life where my zeal will stay hidden until the master gives the instruction to move forward. I am assured of the fact that by the time He gives the command, He will have prepared me to know exactly what the goal is.

God bless!!