Who are our teachers

I was reading through some of the prophet bits this week. Jeremiah, Ezekial and the like. Interesting chaps. Out there. God made Ezekial lie on his left side for 390 days just to prove something about some evil people group that God was about to do in. And then made him turn over and do 40 days on the right side! People must have thought he was a freak!
Anyway the interesting bit which made me think of you all was the Rechabites. Ever heard of them? Blink and you'd miss them, but God was quite chuffed with them and their integrity which makes me want to get to know them better! Check out Jeremiah 35. Anyway the story goes that God invited them over for a drink so they went over. But when it came to the drinking part they said they didn' t drink because their forefathers had commanded them not to and since that original commandno one in their lineage had drunk. They were also told not to build houses, sow seeds, plant vineyards or have any of the above, but to be your quintessential hippy for ever and ever amen. God's point was that here were these ' heathen' people who had grasped the concept of honouring the wisdom and knowledge of their ' father's' . God says ..' they obey their Father's commands, but although I have spoken to you..you do not obey me.'
Now there is so much to unpack about this but the thing I wanted to throw out there is to think about how much we can learn in terms of Godly principles from the people around us- non christians. I' m sure all of us know people who don' t know Jesus who seems to live more Godly lives than some that do. Whoever God has put you around, Christian or non Christian, He has created them. Therefore look for God in them. As I've been trying to put this into practice I have found that people become ever so much more attractive once you find their God Spot and focus in on that rather than all the other rubbish. I have found that I have learnt a lot about how to be, by recognising Godly principles in ungodly circumstances
Go forth my wee musicians and find God in your friends and workmates and tell them about the lovely part of them that you have recognised.

Maria Cullen, 09/01/2007