“Inter-religious Dialogue”
“Inter-religious Dialogue”
“It would do you good to read the Koran from front to back as you say you have done with the Bible”. A devout Muslim man was sitting across the room from my good friend Heidi a few nights ago.
He went on to explain his understanding of Jesus as a prophet and his understanding of the Bible through the lens of his own religious text. The woman sitting nearby interjected her thoughts into the conversation as they talked through the night. They compared and contrasted each other’s understandings of what they believed about God and what God wants from his followers.
It was the middle of the night and what brought this group together was another young woman laying in a bed nearby, she had been in labor for hours about to have her first baby.
Heidi was her doula.
This conversation went on for hours because a woman was having a child and Heidi has a passion to come along side those doing so.
You never know when you might find yourself pulling an all-nighter with a group of devout Muslims.
The conversation was rich with a desire to understand from both parties and Heidi was appreciating the fascinating civil conversation.
At one point, late in the evening, one of the most powerful segments of the conversation was had:
“So let me get this straight,” the woman asked, “ You believe that Jesus died for your sins, for everything that you have done wrong and will do?”
“Yes,” Heidi responded.
“So then Christians can do whatever they want in this life?” She asked.
“Not exactly,” Heidi explained and went on to share her understanding of grace and what it means to follow Jesus not only as your Savior but as your Lord and leader of your life.
“So Christians are to live the way that Jesus lived then?” the woman inquired.
“Yes, they seek to be like Jesus,” Heidi felt some measure of understanding from the group.
“But… they don’t live like Jesus!” the woman replied.
“I agree,” said the man nearby, “I have studied the words of Jesus, and I don’t see Christians living this way!”
“We live like Jesus more than Christians, we give away much of our income to the poor,” the woman added.
“Yes! We ALL do this. And look at me,” the man suggested, “I am even dressed like Jesus… peace be upon him.”
He was wearing traditional Muslim clothing as he was in religious training during this time of his life and had a long beard and wore a long robe.
The conversation carried on through the night. By the time Heidi was relaying the story to me in a coffee shop the next day, the young woman’s words felt like salt on a wound.
“Christians don’t live like Jesus”… Ouch.
There are many responses we could have to that statement, but complete denial would not be possible while being truthful.
From most perspectives, there is very little that we would agree on when it comes to this group of people, who are as devoted to their own religion as we are to ours. But the sting that comes from the woman’s words, is because of their over-arching accuracy.
It compelled me once again to turn my ear, listen… then take action and follow.
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. – Jesus
“Inter-religious Dialogue”
“It would do you good to read the Koran from front to back as you say you have done with the Bible”. A devout Muslim man was sitting across the room from my good friend Heidi a few nights ago.
He went on to explain his understanding of Jesus as a prophet and his understanding of the Bible through the lens of his own religious text. The woman sitting nearby interjected her thoughts into the conversation as they talked through the night. They compared and contrasted each other’s understandings of what they believed about God and what God wants from his followers.
It was the middle of the night and what brought this group together was another young woman laying in a bed nearby, she had been in labor for hours about to have her first baby.
Heidi was her doula.
This conversation went on for hours because a woman was having a child and Heidi has a passion to come along side those doing so.
You never know when you might find yourself pulling an all-nighter with a group of devout Muslims.
The conversation was rich with a desire to understand from both parties and Heidi was appreciating the fascinating civil conversation.
At one point, late in the evening, one of the most powerful segments of the conversation was had:
“So let me get this straight,” the woman asked, “ You believe that Jesus died for your sins, for everything that you have done wrong and will do?”
“Yes,” Heidi responded.
“So then Christians can do whatever they want in this life?” She asked.
“Not exactly,” Heidi explained and went on to share her understanding of grace and what it means to follow Jesus not only as your Savior but as your Lord and leader of your life.
“So Christians are to live the way that Jesus lived then?” the woman inquired.
“Yes, they seek to be like Jesus,” Heidi felt some measure of understanding from the group.
“But… they don’t live like Jesus!” the woman replied.
“I agree,” said the man nearby, “I have studied the words of Jesus, and I don’t see Christians living this way!”
“We live like Jesus more than Christians, we give away much of our income to the poor,” the woman added.
“Yes! We ALL do this. And look at me,” the man suggested, “I am even dressed like Jesus… peace be upon him.”
He was wearing traditional Muslim clothing as he was in religious training during this time of his life and had a long beard and wore a long robe.
The conversation carried on through the night. By the time Heidi was relaying the story to me in a coffee shop the next day, the young woman’s words felt like salt on a wound.
“Christians don’t live like Jesus”… Ouch.
There are many responses we could have to that statement, but complete denial would not be possible while being truthful.
From most perspectives, there is very little that we would agree on when it comes to this group of people, who are as devoted to their own religion as we are to ours. But the sting that comes from the woman’s words, is because of their over-arching accuracy.
It compelled me once again to turn my ear, listen… then take action and follow.
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. – Jesus
A real-life encounter, illustrating the human tendency to condemn the many for the actions of a few (in this case, over-zealous, narrow-minded Xns). The irony is that this couple seemed unable to see the spirit and witness of the living Lord right in front of them, through Heidi. Double irony: there are one or two over-zealous fanatical Muslims afoot who give all Muslims a bad reputation among too many Christians. Thanks for posting this, Steph. Kudos to Heidi for her loving testimony.