10For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.
It is good to excel at something. We should all strive to be really good at something, and then use that talent to serve others. That is exactly what Ezra had done. He devoted himself to both the study and to the observance of the Law. It was not enough for him to get a head knowledge of the Scriptures, he put it into practice in his life. We was devoted to these tasks. He gave it all the energy and focus he had. He did not allow himself to get sidetracked by the distractions of life. We might say that he was squared away. His personal life was “dress right, dress.” But he was not satisfied with only his personal life being in line with God’s Word, he wanted to help others know and do what God commanded, so he taught others. I heard many times in life that if you want to really know something, teach it. When we are forced to convey the Truth to other people, we must wrestle with it ourselves, really figure out what it means (for questions will arise), and then plan a strategy for teaching it. And good teachers, then, have a way of evaluating both their teaching ability and their student’s comprehension. Ezra devoted himself to these tasks. To what tasks are you devoted? Where are your energies and attention focused? Where do you spend most of your time? What does the “history” in your web browser reveal? How about the “history” in your life browser! What does your calendar reveal about who you are and your devotion to the task? Maybe it is time to reevaluate your priorities and become devoted to something that has positive eternal value, instead of temporary transient pleasure.
The Arnold Journey 