Acts 22:3 I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.

Can we see the zealous nature of Paul? He speaks with passion about a life well lived. Let us set aside what we know will come next in his profession of faith as counting all lost to win Christ. Let us examine the natural passion of Paul in his zealot nature. Paul did not stop being a passionate man. He only changed his love of the law for the love of Christ.

Many times in Paul’s writings to the churches his passion comes through in his words. To a novice those expressions can be overwhelming, maybe even overbearing. Some might embrace his fire while others might want a bit of distance from the heat.

Zechariah 8:16 These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates:

Zechariah’s tone might lack the zeal of Paul but his truth is just as vital as any Paul preached. The issue at hand is over understanding our own nature in the way we express our passion for Christ. Was I abrasive in the way I spoke to others in my past? Was I well received or did people try and distance themselves from me? Do I come off sincere or just full of myself?

Style might be one of the more difficult attributes for an individual to change. One thing I have learned from Paul in his ministry and it serves me well.

1 Corinthians 9:22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

Know your audience.