Go to the House of the Rechabites

In Jeremiah 35 is the telling story of God's command to Jeremiah to go and see obedience modeled. The Judeans, whom Jeremiah had been ministering to for many years, were poor examples of what obeying God meant. However, the Rechabites modeled godly behavior better than the Judeans, and they were God's chosen children. I saw a parallel in this CNN news blurb, Muslim congressman seeks out critic on House floor:

On his first day in Congress, Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minnesota, the first Muslim elected to Congress, finally met the Republican who criticized him for his decision to use the Koran at his ceremonial swearing in.

Ellison asked another Democratic member to introduce him to Rep Virgil Goode, R-Virgina, who spoke out against Ellison in a letter to constituents last month. Ellison told CNN that he approached Goode on the House floor and the brief meeting went well.

"I shook his hand and he shook mine. We greeted each other." Ellison asked Goode to grab a cup of coffee with him soon and Goode accepted.

Asked if he was felt singled out as the first Muslim member, Ellison said no and added, "By reaching out to Congressman Goode I'm not trying to be accepted, I'm trying to build bridges. In this world there are too many misunderstandings. I want to put a human face on things."

There has been much said about Congressman Goode's behavior toward Ellison, which his behavior was marked with bigotry, prejudice, and a thin veneer of "patriotism." My prayer is that Congressman Ellison's outstretched hand spoke to Congressman Goode in a way that shows Goode Christianity modeled better by a non Christian. Too often Christianity has to take its cues from outsiders. "Go to the house of the Rechabites, speak to them, and bring them into the house of the Lord..." Jeremiah 35:2

(HT: Street Prophets)