The following story is very short but is probably the first "little known" story that I found and fell in love with. It changed my perspective on how God views our family traditions. For some reason, I thought traditions were not important. I also thought that there is one set of rules for everyone to follow. For example, I presumed that if my parents said it is wrong to go to the theatre, then it must be wrong for everyone. Of course, I was just a child when I made these presumptions. As a teenager, I went through the natural stage of questioning everything. The Bible has always been my standard, so that was my source for sorting it all out. When I came to this little story I realized that different families have different beliefs about what is okay to do, and what isn't. That doesn't necessarily make some families better than others. And, if we do things the way Grandpa taught us, it might not mean we are stuck in a rut and backward. This story takes place in Jeremiah 35.
Jeremiah came from a family of priests. He knew God's laws. He knew the prophecies of old. He knew there were a whole lot of things that the people of God were doing wrong! God had been speaking to Jeremiah for some time. He had given him messages to tell the people of Israel. God was very upset. His people were hard-hearted and rebellious. Judgment day was coming!
One day God gave Jeremiah an assignment that didn't seem as depressing and embarrassing as some of his assignments had been. He was to find a certain family and invite them over. There was a little room off the temple just for these kinds of meetings. The room was comfortable and it was even well stocked with wine. They could have a few drinks and Jeremiah could get to know them a little and maybe figure out why God wanted him to meet them. They were known as the Rechabites! Jeremiah didn't seem to recognize the family name. They weren't a very well known family. But, he asked around and found a few of them right there in Jerusalem!
Jeremiah escorted them into the room he had prepared. God had told him to offer them jugs of wine, so he gladly did. He was being very hospitable. He sat down and waited.
There was an awkward silence. Would it be rude to take a drink before his guests? Oh, maybe they were waiting for him. He took a sip. Still, they sat there. Not one of them touched their cup. What was going on? Finally one of them spoke up. He explained that their family doesn't drink wine. The patriarch of their family had taught them never to drink wine, or plant vineyards, or build houses. They were nomads.
We have always obeyed our father. They explained. Except, we are in Jerusalem right now because of the war. But, we will go back to our tents as soon as it is safe to do so.
"Did ya' hear that?!" God asked Jeremiah.
"The Rechabites obey their father. They do everything he commanded them to do!"
"Why can't my people obey me like that? Why is it that they do the opposite of what I tell them to do?"
I presume Jeremiah was pretty impressed. He probably felt honored to have met the Rechabites. He sent them away sober and with a blessing. God promised that their family would always have at least one man who was God's kid, forever!
Somewhere out there, is a Rechabite who loves God with all his heart. Maybe he lives in a house now, or maybe not. Maybe that person is you, or me. Or, maybe we can just learn from this story. Maybe when we look at people who say something is "wrong" because that is what they were taught. Instead of trying to convince them that it is really okay to drink and live in houses, maybe we can encourage them and say, "Good for you for honoring your heritage! I respect your beliefs. May God bless your family!" And then we should look up at our heavenly Father and ask Him if we are listening to Him as well as our friend is listening to their earthly father's rules.
Oh, I wanna be a part of the family! -the family of God.
How about you?
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