Building Bridges

Recently, I had the opportunity to work with a Muslim man. He is a very outgoing, but somewhat strict Muslim. We talk very often about Muslim culture versus Christian culture. He loves to tell me all about how things work in the Muslim world from how people become exiled to who the most famous Muslims are. During that time, he also discusses with me about the challenges of being a Muslim in today's world living in the United States. I absolutely love talking with him about his life!

Through our conversations, I enjoy letting him know how I, as a Christian, might address those problems. I also discuss solutions to his problems that the Bible already has answers to along with similarities between the Bible and the Koran. Lastly, I talk with him about how since the Koran already discusses Jesus, it is always a good idea to read about Him in the Bible because it gives so much more detail than the Koran. It actually points an arrow directly toward the Bible so someone can find out more information on this mysterious Jesus the Koran talks about! What an honor and a blessing to have these discussions, because it is only through love, tolerance, and acceptance of others that we can engage in meaningful, and even fun, conversation that is Christ centered. I don't want to bring Jesus to people, because it is my religion or its "just how things should be," but because Jesus saves my life day after day and I seek for others to discover the true Christ and to see what he can do for them.

One day I meditated on God and asked him, Lord, what should we do about all this hate in the world;  these shootings, bombings, and fear mongering? He answered with the simplest, yet most profound, words I could have imagined. He said "Love. Just love. Pour into the streets and just bring My love to everyone you meet." See, we don't need to prove our religion to people. We just need Jesus to speak through our hearts and hands, letting the Holy Spirit guide them from there. In time, they will learn God's covenants, but today, our goal is to just show them what Christ's love is. We don't even need words, necessarily! Just love; but when they ask why it is we have such great love, answer, it is because of my master, and savior, Jesus Christ.