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The example of the Rechabite family
Jeremiah 35
"Then I set bowls full of wine and some cups before the men of the Recabite family and said to them, "Drink some wine." But they replied, "We do not drink wine, because our forefather Jonadab son of Recab gave us this command: 'Neither you nor your descendants must ever drink wine."
(Jeremiah 35:5-6)
Jeremiah brought this family, as he had been asked to by God Himself, into the church where he offered them a lavish spread of wine and food.
The Bible doesn't say whether he knew about their commitment not to drink wine. He may well have expected them to drink, because God had commanded this setting to take place. But the entire family had shown themselves to be true to their principles.
It would have been easy for a future generation to justify the drinking of wine, on the grounds that these were simply traditions based on a commitment made by a predecessor. But they didn't fall for such logical traps. They lived by their principles. They recognized that if they wanted to change the family tradition against wine, they would have to follow proper procedures, not act on a spur of the moment feeling. God rewarded them for their faithfulness.
In today's world there are still many such examples of men and women who stand by their principles even when tested.
A modern-day man of principles
Bill Bright, the founder and president of Campus Crusade for Christ, is one of the most humble men I know. He draws a small salary and gives all the royalties from his book sales directly to the organization. A few years ago he received the prestigious Templeton prize, which is accompanied by a one million dollar cash reward. It was a test of his principles. Would he take the cash? Would he take even part of the cash? After all, who could fault this man for taking the money and giving a large percentage to the organization? How many leaders would give in to such temptation? Not Bill Bright. He not only donated the amount to Campus Crusade, but insisted that the prize be made out to the organization. When it became clear that there was no structure for such a thing--the Templeton prize was always given to the winning individual--another test presented itself. How many God-fearing people would have justified the gift on the grounds that this meant God was acting on their behalf? Not Bill Bright. Dr. Bright insisted that the Templeton prize be structured in such a way that the money went to the desired party, Campus Crusade for Christ. That's an example of someone who stands on principle, not feelings.
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