The Mercedes looked like any other. The externals were smooth, sleek, and spoke of silver status. The car’s interior delivered a message that I took as plush, rich, and somewhat sterile. To cap it off, the taxi owner and driver was different from the normal predetermined image; the difference was not contained in the fact that he was an apparently wealthy Arab from Morocco. The difference came in the warm, caring, collegial attitude that clearly spoke of caring, interest, and sharing life’s journey; albeit not for very long!
Our conversation followed the normal pattern for the first few minutes. It took an amazing shift when I asked what the Arabic script meant on the medallion hanging from the mirror.
“Allah,” was the courteous answer. Pausing, “our word for heaven.”
“Do you hear Lady Wisdom calling?” (Proverbs 8.1)
I went searching through my pockets for my Islamic prayer beads. I wanted to show him that I understood his answer. Having changed earlier in the evening, I quickly realized they were in my other jacket. I was thirsting for a conversation on his views.
“A reminder of what is really important, isn’t it? I normally carry and use a set of Islamic prayer beads as a tool to help keep me focused on God. They are in my other jacket tonight.”
The conversation that followed reflected our mutual thirst to know God. We talked about the business of life that often caught our attention. We reflected and affirmed our thirst to experience God is every moment of life. We reveled in the living of life when we had God with us, totally.
I left the cab in the cool darkness refreshed, energized, and encouraged. I arrived thirst and heard Lady Wisdom calling. I found myself listening to God speak in an unusual circumstance through an unusual messenger.
I am always thirsty, especially when I forget to drink. Today, I am starting with a big drink of God! I know that as I remember that God uses the every vessel possible, I can tap Lady Wisdom for real water.
